A Girl & A Boy Destined For A Curse & A Ploy
by SkylarCraze
Summary: Percy I'm-Such-A-Prick Jackson and Annabeth I'm-So-Effing-Ugly Chase are as unlike as two people can be. But what do you get when you put hate, lust, gods, boarding school and a journey of epic proportions togther? Easy. You get love.
1. A Player & A Faker

**Disclaimer:** I'm not going to repeat this, so listen up— I DO NOT OWN THE PERCY JACKSON CHARACTERS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.

**This is a new story; I like the idea of it. :-)**

**Enjoy!**

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_**The Prologue: A Player & A Faker.**_

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Percy's Point of View:

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I'm officially screwed. Again.

Why, you might ask? Oh, no reason. I just slept with my mom's friend's sister's daughter. And then didn't call back. For a long, long time. I think she's going to hurl a flamethrower at me when she sees me.

As of now, I'm running down a dark, brick alley. I've been down this alley many, many times. Always for the same reason. Running from a girl I slept with, of course.

I wonder how I do it. How I end up in the same situation again and again.

I turned slowly, only to see Madeline Freesia/Twelfth-Girl-I-Slept-With-This-Year/Mom's-Friend's-Sister's-Daughter's-Friend. She was cute, so I could see why I hit the sack with her. She huffed at me, panting from running after me and yelling at the same time. I had heard a few of the curses she'd thrown at me; a few were quiet creative, actually.

"Maddy," I said, smiling sheepishly, trying to weasel myself out of this. I really don't get how it happens. I don't _want _to be a player. I don't _aim_ for it. It just…happens.

"Do. You. Have. Any. Idea. How. Long. I. Waited?" Each word was accompanied by a rock she picked up from the floor and chucked at me.

I cringed, trying to block the rocks. "Um," I said, not meeting her gaze, "A while?"

_Wrong thing to say, Percy. What a wrong, wrong thing to say._

"A WHILE?" she screamed, running up to me, yelling in my face. "I WAITED _WEEKS_! I DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE RUMORS, I THOUGHT YOU WERE _DIFFERENT!_"

I gulped, not knowing where to look. I settled on my shoes, which seemed like the safest place for now. I really didn't know what to say. I always said the same thing, but now, well, it just seemed lame.

"I, er, am sorry about that," I said, clearing my throat. I took a deep breath and finally looked her in the eye. She looked livid and hurt at the same time. "Look, I hate that I didn't call. I just…lost track of things. Things that happened." She was sobbing now.

"Are you calling me _forgettable?_" She asked, tearily.

I shook my head vigorously. "No! No, no, no. I'm just saying…that things didn't go the way I, um, planned that night. I never meant to cause you any harm…or hope."

More sobbing. More me gulping, trying to get past these awkward moments.

"I guess…stupid…didn't want…you're right," she finally decided, hiccupping. "It was stupid. Let's just…forget okay?"

She sounded so sad. God, I was a bastard. But, instead of launching into some kind of amazing speech about how awesome she was and how I didn't deserve her, I just nodded. Madeline just turned around walking away, still crying.

I sunk against one of the red brick walls, head in my hands. I was _such_ an idiot. I always let this happen. And the guilt, that _guilt_, it ate at me forever, until I felt like I could puke.

I was _that guy_. You know, the one that sleeps with all your friends and was always super good in bed, so more girls come and sleep with him.

The only part people leave out is what happens afterwards. Yeah, there's yelling and screaming and crying. But then there's that unbearable _guilt_ on the part of the guy that is just incredibly clueless.

That guy would be me. Perseus Jackson.

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Annabeth's Point Of View:

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I sighed at the sight of my room.

My _dorm_, I corrected myself internally. There was a soft cream on the walls, two desks of light wood and a two single bed; one with a red comforter and one with a blue one.

I walked into my room, towing my suitcases and pushing them to a corner after getting them into the dorm. I settled on the "blue" side of the room, since it was the empty side. I had been able to room with one of my best friends, Thalia Grace. She had already claimed the red side.

I bounced a bit on the bed. It seemed comfy enough. I lay down, stretch my arms over my head, but yelped when the accidently touched the cool bars of the head-board or whatever you call it.

_This year will be different, _I promised myself. _There will be no fighting, no mocking in the hallways and no painful jibes yelled from far away_.

I snorted. That wasn't even convincing to me. Hell, a hamster wouldn't fall for it.

At that moment, Thalia burst into the room, on her cell. She was looking stunningly gorgeous as always, without a worry in the world. Her sexy gothic style was still in place.

She was beautiful. As usual.

After talking to some girl named Maddy Freesia for a bit, with much fewer giggles and much more coaxing, Thals finally hung up. She turned to me and yelled;

"ANNABETHY!"

I groaned and got up to hug her. She squeezed me tightly for a few moments, then finally let go to say, "I missed you so much! How was your summer?"

I nodded in agreement, smiling a bit, playing with the end of my long ponytail. "I missed you, too! Summer was fine. A bit boring, but fine. The cottage was fun."

Thalia gave me a big grin, "Want to ask how my summer went?"

I rolled my eyes, turning to grab one of my suitcases as I began to unpack. "How did your summer go, Thalia?"

"I was finally deflowered."

I dropped the picture frame I was holding. Thalia grabbed it just in time, muttering something about breaking it.

"You lost…_it?_" I gaped.

Thalia nodded. She gave me a small smile. "It was amazing. With this guy who lived next door. Ugh, how cliché, guy-next-door and crap. But still. God, Annabeth…you just…" She ended her charade with a sigh and falling onto her bed.

It was understandable; we were starting our junior year at Saint Ives Boarding School. And Thalia was a beautiful, popular seventeen-year-old girl; raven hair, electric blue eyes and all. She was usually nice but had an edge to her personality that some couldn't handle.

I gulped, finally accepting it. "That was…abrupt?"

Thalia giggled. She tossed her short hair, turned to me and said, "No biggie. He moved away, but it wasn't too bad. I did cry though."

She _cried. _"Holy shit."

Thalia flashed her eyes at me as she got out of bed. "Please. I'm not _that _emotionless."

I muttered, "You kinda are," but she ignored me. She was halfway to the door of our dorm when she finally said something about getting food, hunger and cafeteria. I waved her off.

When I was alone again, I locked the door and turned to see a huge mirror that was one of doors of the closet. Ahhh, a mirror. I hated mirrors with a passion. They only reminded of things I didn't want to be reminded of.

In the mirror I saw myself. Well, the _façade_ of me; what I liked to call Fake Me.

The girl in the mirror right now was tall with blonde hair in a pony. Hair that looked like it had some kind of mold smeared in it. The girl also had red acne all over her face, a uni-brow, along with an unappealing girl-stache. Her ears were visibly full of ear wax. Her arms were covered in hair, most it if shown because of the short sleeved Polo shirt she wore.

And, as if that was hideous enough, she had a huge mole smack in the middle of her forehead, like some kind of estranged _bindi_. Her arms were covered in hair, most it if shown because of the short sleeved Polo shirt I wore. Her only remotely nice feature were her eyes; dark, stormy grey.

I sighed as I looked in the mirror. I checked on last time that the door was locked and Thalia's key was with me. Then, I went to the bathroom attached to our dorm and took a long shower. I gulped, knowing that there was a mirror in the bathroom, that seeing myself, my _actual_ self, would be inevitable.

After a nice lemon-soap filled showering, I wrapped a towel around myself and went back to the room. My back was facing the door-mirror. I turned slowly, eyes squeezed shut.

_It's inevitable, Annabeth. Just look at yourself. Just look at the real you. Without the lies._

I felt tears burn my retinas. I had been cursed, it was turn. Only in the strangest way.

I opened my eyes.

At first, I didn't look at myself. I focused on the plastic hair strips, the ones I tapped onto my arms, the stick on mole, the playdough I smeared into my hair to make it frizzy and moldy-looking, fake ear-wax I shoved into my ear, and Halloween makeup I used to complete the look of Fake Me; all sitting on my side table.

Surprisingly, they turned up the guilt by a few notches. The guilt for lying…the guilt for hiding…

I pressed my lips together to hold in a cry. Then, I finally looked in the mirror.

In front of me now stood an amazingly tall girl with long honey hair that curled in perfect spirals. The girl had a face that looked like it had been painted by an angel.

Perfection, some might call it.

Her body wasn't lumpy and unproportional like the last girl's. This new girl had killer curves, long legs and high, rounded breasts. The similarity between this girl and the last girl were the stormy grey eyes.

I felt my body shaking. I finally looked at the girl again. _Stop calling yourself that, _I thought. _Say it. Say who that really is_.

I felt my eyes fill, burn, again. I took in a long, shaky breath, unable to hold my tears any longer, and looked in the mirror again.

There stood Annabeth Chase.

There stood _me_.

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**So. How'd you like it? This fic will be less fluffy, more...well, just MORE.**

**Now; review, review, review! **

**I'll update faster since I really want you guys to understand this story before I launch into the real plot.**

**- S. **


	2. A Story Told & A Hater

**Hey again!**

**More of the new story!**

**Hope this clears it up a bit. I get that it's confusing; I was even a bit confused first.**

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_**Chapter Two: A Story Told & A Hater**_

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Annabeth's POV:

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_Dear Waste-of-Paper;_

_Thalia got me this thing for my birthday. I just found it. Today is the day before school starts, so I decided it'd be a nice time to start writing in a diary._

_Oh, gods. Who am I kidding? NEVER is the best time to start writing in a diary. But, whatever. I'm screwed up as it is; why not just record the events?_

_Let's explain my situation shall we?_

_My name is Annabeth Chase. I go to a normal boarding school in the East coast of the US of A; it's called Saint Ives BS (Boarding School or Bull Shit; I'll leave the choice to you). I have a few friends; the normal amount. I even have a few enemies; the normal amount, also._

_What's so not normal? Well, I'm cursed._

_Cursed with what, you ask? Oh, just beauty._

_See, the story is that four years ago, at age thirteen, I was cursed by Aphrodite._

_Yeah, you know the one. Beautiful and lovely and all that. In my home town, Carmel, I helped my stepmom run her café by working in it; without pay. The day I was cursed, a woman came into the shop. I had seen her before, she was Silena Beauregard's, one of my best friends, mother. She was beyond beautiful, but her appearance was never one thing. Her eyes color was whatever the light reflected it to be. Her hair, too. It was kind of creepy._

_Anyway, that day Silena's mom just sat there, all day. When we were closing, I politely asked her to leave. She didn't move, she just turned her head slowly, like she was made of stone and told me; "You know, Annabeth, I liked you. I really did. But what your mother did to me is unfair…horrible…hideous…"_

_I was really confused by now. I didn't know my biological mother. She hadn't existed in my life, ever. It had been my dad, me and his new family. I was still in the "accepting" stage with whole new family thing anyway. I still am, actually._

_Anyway, I don't know why, but it was like everything froze then. Then, "Silena's mom" or Aphrodite, got up and tapped my forehead a few times. I did feel a weird sensation, like when you pull on fresh, warm, dry clothes after playing around in the rain. When I opened my eyes, Aphrodite was grimacing at me. The last thing she said before she left was; "Let anyone see you like this, without some kind of disguise, and I'll hunt you down and kill you just for fun. Athena needs to be reminded that she and I are equals."_

_Everything just kind of played out after that. She left, I accidently looked into a window and saw my reflection. I had been normal pretty before, but now…now, I was beautiful. I was stunning. I was like...well, Aphrodite. It kind of gave me a headache._

_What had been Silena's mom been talking about? What had my mother done to piss this strange, strange woman off? Why the hell was I so damn beautiful all of the sudden?_

_All of those were questions that were floating around my head, taunting me. They still do. Four years and few answers later, I still didn't know what was going on._

_I mean, I did a lot of research after the whole I-am-now-cursed-with-beauty thing. I found out that the woman I saw was most likely Aphrodite. Most likely because, well, it was a gut feeling. And I think that the fact that the woman mentioned Athena, goddess of wisdom, seemed to help._

_I had been avoiding thoughts of Athena the Goddess. I think she's my mother. But, let's not think about that. Ever. It just gives me a headache; and no answer whatsoever._

_I was 100 percent sure of one thing: I could never let anyone see me like...well, me. Aphrodite had made that clear that, should anyone see me like this, they would be the LAST one to see me. She'd kill me. Simple as that._

_So, here I am, four years later. I disguise myself as unbelievably ugly. I spend my days wishing I had more answers. I spend my days waiting; waiting for some to figure me out. And, lastly, I spend my days getting bullied and punished for being something I am not._

_It hurts so much. It's horrible, what Aphrodite did. Her own words "unfair...horrible...hideous" echo in my head, digging the holes in my chest deeper; ripping them open wider._

_It IS unfair…I didn't want this…I didn't deserve this…I get called ugly and fat and things I know that if they saw what was under the makeup I would never be called. I endure endless torture from myself, too; guilt for hiding myself, especially when Thalia or Silena, my only two friends still, want to give me a makeover. I cry over the thought that one day, my cover will break and I'll be killed for no reason whatsoever._

_I cry over the hard ache in my chest, the pure agony that rips and shreds at me; knowing its not my fault...knowing I had nothing to do with it..._

_Damn Aphrodite. Damn Aphrodite to Hades._

_About the previous "Silena" comment, well, yeah. I never told Silena or Thalia anything. I just went to school one day, faking it, pretending I had gotten ugly over night. They felt so bad, hoped for me, wished for me. Thalia and Silena had no idea that I was lying. I kept Silena as my friend because I loved her and knew that she had no part in what her mother did. I doubt she knows that she's a goddess._

_But, as I am constantly saying, whatever. I have no SOCIAL life…but I love my books. I love getting lost in another world, one where none of my problems can hunt me down, no of my paranoia can get to me. I especially love architecture. Just something about building something that fits perfectly really gives me satisfaction. Like putting together a jigsaw puzzle._

_I'm not sure why I'm even writing this anymore. It was a bad idea, I—_

I ripped the page I was writing on out.

_Stupid idea, _I thought. I ripped the paper I'd written my entire life onto into shreds. Quickly, frantically almost, I pulled out a plate and a box of matches. I lay down the ripped pieces of paper on the plate and pulled out a match. I lit it quickly, but then watched it; holding it in front of my eyes, watching the tiny flame dance around the stick.

My chest felt tight. My eyes watered again. It was sad; knowing that the only documentation of my true feelings, my true life were about to be burned to ashes. It made me feel like I was hopeless, pathetic, weak.

I gulped. And then I threw the match onto the papers.

I watched them shrivel to nothing but ashes.

And as I did it, I cried for the words that I could, _would_, never say.

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Percy's POV:

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I groaned as I fell back against my bed.

Another school year. Another round of girls trying to seduce me; and me succumbing sometimes. Another round of endless homework and my dyslexia driving me insane.

I was alone in my dorm room, my roommate, Grover, out with some girl. He was a good guy, very unlike me, so him and dates don't mix often. I wondered who this new girl was. Grover was my best friend; I cared for him in the man-hug way and wanted him with a good girl, not some whore-in-disguise.

I gulped. I hadn't met anyone but Thalia, an old friend of mine, yet. That was in the hallway; her off to the cafeteria and me off to my room. She mentioned something about catching up and stuff. I didn't really listen. I didn't really hang out much with Thalia lately; she was best friends with a girl I really couldn't stand.

First of all, let's make this clear: I love girls. But this, this _thing_, isn't a girl. She's snarky and has a personality almost as ugly as her outside. She's just…disgusting.

Annabeth Chase.

God only knows why she even existed. No one but Thalia and Silena like her. I don't really talk to many people, so it's hard to get under my skin. But, I've gotta say, this girl has got that act down pat.

I growled and rolled over. I don't want to think about Annabeth Chase when my head's already pounding hard enough.

Thalia had yelled at me for screwing up again; with Madeline Freesia. She was like a sister. A very nosy sister. So, obviously, she knew about my latest encounter with Maddy.

I wished someone would just shoot me now. School was the last thing I needed. Especially when school included girls in very skimpy back-to-school outfits and Annabeth I'm-So-Fucking-Ugly Chase.

I groaned. Where was a shotgun when you needed one?

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**So? You guys starting to like it more? Gimme feedback, fools.**

**Well, you see, there's actually a story behind Percy, too. But that's very secretive for now…**

**I've got a lot of plans for this story. Plans that, actually, aren't half bad.**

**So, yeah. For now, I'll give you this: you want the first day of school? Full of awesome fluffy encounters and a very sexual Percy? Well, then, review.**

**Oh and, btw, I'm not going to let you down. This is a PERCABETH story. It's just full of twists and turns!**

**- S.**


	3. Horrid Mornings & Enemy Encounters

**Hullo, my loves!**

**New chapter! Yaaaay! First day of School PART ONE!**

**Enjoy!**

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_**Chapter Three: Horrid Mornings & Enemy Encounters**_

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Percy's POV:

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Have you ever walked in slow motion?

It's kind of weird.

It was the morning of our first day. I was making my "entrance", walking through the hallway. I was wearing a black button down with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and black pants, too. I had on my Ray Bans and was pulling them off, walking that sexy walk.

Hah. Please. Insert snort here.

Thought, when I looked around, I saw the most of the people around me had turned to watch me walk by and some of the girls were sighing.

_Oh, goddamn it. Not already._

If you've watched those high school chick flicks, well, you know what I'm talking about; the whole slow motion, a few winks here and there, nodding at friends. Expect replace the smooth-talking, super cool, hot guy walking down the hallway, with girls sighing at and guys nodding at, with me.

Yeah. I know. I find it quite sad, too.

I grinned a bit though when I saw Clarisse, one of the two girls in this school that despised me. However, Clarisse was kind of hot this year; it looked like someone had grown out during the summer. She had long brown hair that was kind of stringy, but a very…pretty (?) color. She was thin and tall. She had really nice eyes, too; huge and dark, framed with thick brown lashes.

I rounded the corner and was greeted by a loud hallway turning quiet again. What the heck was wrong with everybody? This behavior was starting to creep me out.

Moving faster now, I searched for my next class. Then, in a moment of panic, I forgot what room I was supposed to be in. I groaned and tried to ease myself into the background. After managing to look like a fool for about twenty seconds, leaning into some locker and trying to hide my face, I pulled out my schedule. I checked it out. I grumbled when I realized I had English first.

_Shakespeare. Big words. Dyslexia._

Ugh. This morning probably couldn't get worse. But, this was me we were talking about, so, obviously, the next moment I was pushed over from my hiding spot; knocked down to the floor.

And, even before hitting the ground, I knew who had pushed me.

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Annabeth's POV:

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This morning was hell.

I began the day by walking up to my alarm clock. If you haven't heard my alarm clock, then you don't know what that's like. Imagine someone taking a nail and a hammer and trying to hammer the nail into your eardrum. That's probably as close as you'll get.

After my "lovely" wakeup call, I stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. But, see, when I opened the door of the bathroom, I was pretty sure I that there was some kind of alien in the bathroom; an alien with a black bird's nest for hair, electric blue eyes and a thick puke-y green pastes all over their face and neck. After screaming like the girly I am, I stormed out of the bathroom, still angry. Thank god Thalia hadn't seen me, though I had seen her, because I hadn't applied my Fake Me disguise yet.

After getting _uglyfied, _as I like to call it, and ready, I finally left the room. Since my stepmom had bought me a stupidly fashionable therefore tiny backpack, I was carrying most of my textbooks. I wasn't weak physically, so it wasn't a problem…but it wasn't very fun.

And, after ducking my head down as I ran through the hallway and trying to ignore the snide comments begin whispered and looks being thrown at me, guess who I saw leaning up against my locker?

Percy I-Am-Such-A-Prick Jackson.

I felt my jaw clench. God _damn_ him. Seriously. If God is listening, please, go for it; shoot this menace down to hell.

Percy Jackson is _that guy_. The one that walks down the halls and all the people stop to stare at him. I mean, he's not _hideous_.

Okay. Lie. Percy Jackson is seriously hot; with this messy, too-long black curly hair, really sea-green eyes framed with thick black lashes and angular, sharp features.

But that doesn't matter when he's such a_ prick._

It's just the way he talks, he acts; like life is so easy, so laid-back. And that smug grin on his face all the time. He's the picture of "ease."

Psh. As if there was even such a thing.

Anyway, right now, I walked over, and very easily knocked him down. He was hunched over, staring at something. Probably a porn magazine. I snorted.

Percy, still on the floor, rumbled. He muttered something about greatness and bitchiness and how his day was going badly already. I wanted to laugh in his face and scream in his face and shout in his face of how _real_ bad days go. A bad day for him would be one where he doesn't get laid.

I didn't help Jackson up. He just got up, brushed off his knees and grumbled; "Thanks for the warning."

I ignored him. When he just moved over one locker, I felt like I could punch him. _That _was someone's locker, _too!_ What gave him the right to stand their, leaning on it, like he owned it? I growled, wishing I could hit something. I didn't know why but something about his presence just always managed to _irk_ me.

I clenched my teeth. _Control_, I thought. _Control, Annabeth_. I sighed, long and hard. I put the books I didn't need into my locker and pulled out my schedule. I had English first. I sighed again, running a hand through my hair. When I did that, I forgot about the playdough. So, of course, some of it came loose and flung itself somewhere.

It was just my luck that somewhere ended up being Perseus's back.

He jumped and turned around, pulling the play dough from his back. When he saw it, then looked at me, then back at it, his face colored with horror. He flicked it into a trash can and turned back to me.

"That was disgusting."

I stared up into his big jade eyes. He was very…pretty, I noticed again. Nobody could deny that.

_Annabeth..._, I slowly reminded myself of the way he was. The way he _uses_ those looks. It _sickened_ me!

Keeping my thoughts away for a moment, I smiled sweetly, "Just like you."

His jaw clenched and he ran a hand through his hair. He muttered something else then. Something that actually hurt.

"Ugly bitch."

I felt my face freeze. My eyes went blank. My entire body just stopped.

Horrible tears burned in my eyes. I slammed my locker shut and stared into Percy's now surprised eyes.

"Well, you're a man-whore. Or, oh, do you prefer _pussy_?"

I then grabbed my bag from the floor and walked away, rolling my jaw, trying to make the anger, the _frustration_, the hurt, leave. It was stupid that every time someone called me ugly it hurt so much. It rolled inside of me, making me sick. It made those horrible needs, needs to just curl up in a corner and hide, show their face.

I entered English class, in room 401, and sat in a far corner, near the huge glass wall. I liked the sunlight there. And the view.

I sat down and dropped my bag on the floor. I gulped back what was in my head and stared out the window, my chin resting on my palm. Occasionally someone would pass by and whisper something cruel or vile to me.

I wondered why everyone was so stupid. Why no one could see past looks or attitudes...why people based so much upon them. It made my head hurt.

They just thought I was a bitch because I was ugly. They didn't know that I had to wake up every morning and _know_ that they would say that. They didn't know that I put on this…_ facade_ just so that I could stay alive. They didn't know that I contemplated in my head every morning whether it was even worth it.

I bit my lip now. I felt those annoying tears gather again. I stared out the window; at the pretty green, green grass and the backyard of our school; one filled with little flowers interrupting land and/or grass everywhere and a bunch of small fountains, bubbling all the time. I loved that place. It reminded me of places like the _Secret Garden _or the closet in _The Chronicles of Narnia_.

I smiled a bit, but then, gave up. My face was constantly blank, never showing the hell in my head.

I sat there…and I wondered again.

I wondered if I'd ever be able to be normal. I wondered if there was any justice in the world.

I gulped. I already knew the answers. And it cut me deeper than any blade, any knife, any sword or any dagger every could. It punctured me, made me need to run away. It ripped me apart inside.

The first answer was no. Never would I be normal. Never would I be popular, as stupid and cliche as that might sound. And never would I have what I wanted most: to be like everyone else (despite everything...it was still my greatest desire. To just be able to laugh with friends, to have my first kiss, to bunk a couple of classes, be stupid and adolescent...)

And, the second answer was, also, no. In _my_ world…well, justice didn't exist.

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**Hmmm…Whatcha think? Good? Bad? Mild? Is the plot going too slow? Too fast?**

**I'm going to get the plot going now! Its all gonna start with a bonfire…**

**SPOOKINESS! *giggle***

**Anyway, sorry if this chapter isn't so great. I just wasn't up for writing but I tried to get this out anyway. **

**Now, I'm going to be a review whore and BEG you: review! Please? I know…it's a nuisance and it's like "UGH"…but please. It really motivates me to writer better, to write more.**

**Anywho; I still love you!**

**- S.**


	4. Bonfires & Two Strangers

**Hullo, again.**

**I have more! Yippee!**

**This chapter was longer than I meant for it to be. But, heck! The more the merrier! Plus, I've finally got the real PLOT going now!**

**Enjoy!**

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_**Chapter Four: Bonfires & Two Strangers**_

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Annabeth's POV:

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"Thalia, I'm not going to go to a bonfire."

Thalia frowned at me. "Why the fuck not?"

I sighed and tried to look anywhere but at her. It was lunch and we were eating at one of the many long, white, rectangular tables in the cafeteria.

The place looked like it was designed to be in a jail: all white, with flocks of people throwing sneers and grimaces. I sat with Thalia and Silena, just the three of us, at one of the tables in a corner.

I went back to…arguing with Thalia. She wanted to go to some stupid back-to-school bonfire tonight and was begging me to come with her and Silena. I hated student gathering like that since I usually ended up in a lone corner with a book; trying to ignore the drunk kids around me and trying to ignore their occasional jabs at me.

"Because I hate those things. You know that. You'll have more fun without me; _you know that_," I said, staring at her hard enough to transmit some kind of subconscious message: the kind that pleaded her to just go without me.

"Bull!" she said angrily, throwing her hands to emphasize that. She was very short-tempered, but then again, I kind of was, too. Only in a not-so-obvious way.

Silena who was watching us intently, slowly chewing on her piece of lettuce, finally decided to join in. "Thals," she said softly (she always was the more sensitive one), "Just let it go."

Thalia shook her head furiously. "Annabeth, you _need _to get out more! You're…"

I flashed my eyes at her, daring her to go on, as I raised an eyebrow. "I'm _what_?" I asked sharply.

I fully well knew the answer: ugly, antisocial, bitchy. Pick your poison.

"Nevermind," she said, smoothly backtracking with a flip of her short black hair. "The point is that you will come and that's it."

Before I could even say anything else, Thalia was about forty feet away, talking to some other person. I exhaled irritably and heard a chuckle. I looked over at Silena, who was watching me. I watched her back, assessing her familiar feature.

Silena was quieter than Thalia but, like Thalia, beyond beautiful. She had long brown-blonde hair, twinkling blue eyes and a softness about her that no one could fake. She was so _nice_; which was why no one:

Messed with her.

Wasn't her friend.

But, still, her popular self hung out with a person like me. I loved Thalia and Silena _very_ much; they had been my best friends since forever and would be forever. They were one of the few people at this school who didn't mind my horrendous appearance, who didn't mind the fact that I was unbelievably unpopular, who looked past my bitchy attitude; that was usually just a self-defense mechanism.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," she said, still munching on her salad.

I grimaced. "I'll deal with it. You know what she gets like when we don't listen."

She smiled at that. I did, too. "Let's just get this day over with, shall we?" Silena proposed.

I sighed a happy sigh. Sometimes, well, _most_ of the time, Silena said the perfect things. This was no exception.

I nodded whole-heartedly at her proposition.

_(After school)_

I trudged into my room, tired as heck. I threw my books at my desk; not wanting to cope with homework yet. I jumped onto bed, stretching like a cat before curling into the soft mattress.

After a few mindless minutes, I realized I should really get going with the homework. I had a bonfire to go to later. Cue sad, sad sigh.

"Don't you look comfy."

God help me if that voice belonged to who I thought it did.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

I was marching through the girl's dorm, trying to ignore the ladies batting their eyelashes at me. I really wanted to a nice guy, a one-woman type of guy—I just think I liked girls too much.

Why I was even putting myself in this situation was because of my foolish friend: Thalia, of course. She had forgotten her textbook in Bio. and I knew we had homework with it tonight.

I walked by a few more doors. I was pretty sure her dorm number was 786. I wondered who her roommate was but I already knew that there were only two options. I prayed to every god known that those options had chosen to room together, leaving Thalia alone with, perhaps a pretty girl who'd end up being my soulmate and we'd like happily ever after.

But, of course, I was just kidding myself. I knew how unlikely that was.

Clenching my jaw to brace myself I walked pushed open room 786's door.

And, there she was, Annabeth Chase, lying on the bed, oblivious to my entrance. Really, really oblivious. I don't even think she was awake. But when she shifted a bit I could see that she was just really, really deep in reverie. I decided to snap her out of it, give her the book and run.

"Don't you look comfy," I said, being a bit snarkier than needed.

She groaned and rolled over to shove her face into her pillow. After a moment, she looked up at me with the full force of her gray eyes.

"What do you _want_?"

I flexed my jaw, trying not to feel too irritated by her tone. Most girls were really nice to me; why did she have to be the exception? Why did there even _have to be an exception_?

"Thalia forgot her textbook," I said. I held it up. "I brought it back."

She raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you nice," she deadpanned.

I ignored her, throwing the book at the other bed. It landed with a _thunk_.

I left without another word.

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

This proved just how much we hated each other; me and Jackson. We didn't waste time like most movie characters insulting each other. Uncaring comments were made but we basically just didn't care enough to care.

I glanced at the textbook. It was another not-so-subtle, painful reminder to do my homework. I sighed again, running a hand through my hair. I decided I'd attack it, finish it and then take a nice, long shower.

_(After finishing homework)_

I let out a lazy smile and stretched my arms and hands after typing that blessed last word. My lab was done, my questions were done, the chapter of _Hamlet_ I had to read was done: _everything_ was done.

Getting up, I went to my closet to grab a towel. Thalia had come and gone, saying something about not taking her key, getting ready in Silena's room and that she'd kill me with a flamethrower if I wasn't there by 7. Thinking of that, I checked the clock. It was only 5:30. I had time to take a long, hour long, shower. I smiled happily as I made my way to the bathroom after checking that the door was locked and that Thalia's key was safely with me. I couldn't have her walking in on Real Me.

After taking off my clothes and all essentials that created Fake Me, I stepped into the hot shower and felt the heat wrap around me. The hard, pounding water felt nice on my back, giving me a slight massage. I pulled my hair out of its pony tail and let it get wet. I uncapped my Herbal Essences shampoo, the rose type, and smelt it for a moment. I smiled, elated and/or happy for the first time today.

I spent an hour in there, luxuriously washing my hair, doing that rinse-and-repeat thing everyone talked about. I rubbed my Dove soap all over me and smelt its niceness. I loved my long, warm showers.

But, eventually, I realized that I needed to go to Thalia and be Fake Me again. I groaned. This was so much easier…so much nicer…so much more truthful…

I avoided the mirror as I got out and wrapped a towel around me.

By the time it was 6:50, Fake Me was ready to be seen. I had barely been able to put in play-dough into my wet hair, so I had been subjected to using that lethal thing they call a hair dryer. After about 20 minutes of near-death experiences with plugs and heat, I got the play-dough in and was Fake Me.

Grabbing my light jacket (it got cold at night, here on Long Island) and keys, I opened the door, walking out. I looked around, turned and locked the door and made my way to Silena's room. She shared it with some girl who didn't really talk much, to us anyway, and usually wasn't there. I finally reached her room, which was about five minutes away and Silena opened it, wide smile on her face.

She looked me up and down, and her smile turned into a slight frown but she shrugged it off. "You're here! I thought might get to witness Thalia killing you with a flamethrower."

I broke out a little smile. "Nah. I'll save that for another day."

Silena laughed and let me in. I saw Thalia in a corner, tweezers in hand, and a furrowed brow in place. I laughed a bit. "You look like you might bust a vein, Thals."

She glanced at me, sticking her tongue out a bit before going back to tweezing. I sat down on the bed that was covered in purple: so, obviously Silena's. She had some kind of Purple OCD thing.

I finally turned back to Silena and gave her the old up-and-down. She was wearing this cute little outfit: tight tan jeans, a loose white v-neck shirt paired with simple black cardigan and black and white scarf. On her feet she had a pair of simple mauve ballerinas. **(Picture on Profile) **Her long mane of brown-blondeness was in a ponytail, a few strands framing her beautiful face. She didn't try too hard, but she didn't totally give up.

She looked like a freaking supermodel.

"You look like a freaking supermodel," I said, repeating my thoughts.

Silena blush a bit, but smiled brightly. "You think?" she asked, twirling for me.

I nodded, winking, "Beckendorf will be thrilled."

I got a pillow thrown at me for that. I laughed and Thalia managed to smirk. She got up, finally done, and turned to us. "Okay, how do I look?"

I looked her. She was wearing a very…Thalia outfit. It wasn't _slutty_ but it wasn't anywhere near as modest as Silena's. She wore insanely bright turquoise stockings underneath a very short, tight and full sleeve black dress. **(Picture on Profile) **Her hair was pinned up as much a possible with bobby pins, black in color, and her shoes had on black pumps that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. Her electric blue eyes popped with a dark smoky eye.

"You look," I said, grinning, "Amazing."

Thalia winked and Silena nodded. She gave us a little smile and looked at me, her smile sliding off her face. "You're wearing that?"

I looked down at my jeans, black cami and red spring jacket. Just a very basic, very comfy outfit. "Yeah," I said evenly, walking over to open the door and gesturing the two of them out, "I'm going, aren't I? That should be more than what you bargained for."

Thalia stuck her tongue out at me as she danced out the door. Silena and I followed, shaking our heads at our insane friend.

The bonfire was at the beach, about 10 minutes walking. Thalia was beginning to feel the effects of dressing the way she did.

"Damn this state! Damn New York!" she said thought chattering teeth. "Why does it have to be so _cold_?"

I smirked. "I guess I dressed better then, didn't I?"

She flipped me off. I laughed. The bonfire was finally in view and Silena and Thalia squealed with excitement. I groaned.

Once we got there, a few people nodded hi to Thalia and Silena. Some nicer people, like a boy named Grover Underwood and Charles Beckendorf (who Silena had the biggest crush on), smiled hello to _all_ of us. Once we were by the actually fire and warming up a little, Thalia and Silena went their ways and I was left standing there. I pulled out my book, _Greek Architecture,_ and began reading and getting lost in a world of pillars, blue skies and old, beautiful buildings.

After cuddling into the tree for about an hour, I decided that I could go now. I got up, stretched a little, ignoring a snickering from about three feet away and began searching for Silena and Thalia.

I found Silena alright; making out with Beckendorf against a tree. I chuckled and walked away; those two didn't even notice me. I furrowed my brow, wondering where Thalia could be. I finally saw her, on the sand, apparently arguing with someone.

I went over and when I was about four feet away, I saw that that "someone" was Jackson. I walked over, completely ignoring Jackson and said; "Thals. Hey."

She glanced at me, then glanced again and said; "Oh. Hey. What's up?"

I grimaced, not answering her question. "I'm going, kay? I didn't bring your key, so I should go first."

Thalia eyed me. "Shut up, please. We'll go together."

I sighed, putting a hand to my forehead. "Seriously? I came with you, I told you looked pretty and I did everything you asked, Thalia. I'm going home."

Percy, who was watching our entire conversation, shrugged. "Let her go, Thalia. It's not like anyone but you and Silena want her here."

I felt a small dagger push itself through my heart; but I ignored that. Instead, I glanced at the idiot and asked in an icy tone; "Were you part of our conversation, Jackson?"

"I'm standing here, aren't I? I was talking to Thalia before you, anyway."

"Oh, shut up. I'm leaving, anyway. Talk to whoever you want."

"Whatever."

I said nothing back but raised an eyebrow at Thalia. She was pouting. I shook my head. She sighed and gestured me away. I smiled and left happily.

When I was about 3 minutes from school, I realized I'd left my book by the tree. I sighed and sat on the curb of the sidewalk. I massaged my temple with my finger tips: I really didn't want to go back to that awkward place. It wasn't for me. I wasn't the type of girl to_ do_ that type thing.

I sucked it up though because I really liked that book. Going back I saw, from the distance that there was a group huddled up, laughing. I guessed at what they were doing and thought that there was nothing, _nothing_, stupider than a group of teenagers.

"Greek architecture!" some kind named Erik guffawed, "That bitch probably didn't even read this. Probably just for show."

I stormed forward and, to be frank, I'm quite intimating when I'm angry. I stood in front of Erik, who saw that I was there and laughed harder. I stuck out my hand and said very calmly:

"Give me my book."

He laughed again. I don't even know what was so _funny_. But then I smelt his breath: it smelt of alcohol. He was drunk.

I knew I'd get stuck in this situation.

"Why should I?" he said, waving it around in his too-big hands. "You probably masturbate to this shit."

Okay. Now I was starting to get pissed. "Give. Me. The. Book," I said as evenly as I could through clenched teeth.

He just laughed again. What he did next made me very, very angry. He chucked the book into the bonfire.

For minute, I just stood there, locked in place; watching the book burn to ash in front of my eyes.

And, then, I attacked his sorry ass.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

I watched as I leaned against a dark tree, as Erik waved the book around in Chase's face. If she wasn't such a horrible person to me, I might've gone over there and defended her. But, as you know, she's a very capable girl.

And when Erik threw her book into the fire, she went very still. _I _was kind of frightened. She locked eyes with the huge guy (who's stupid ass was still laughing) and moved forward so quickly, you could barely tell what happened until about five seconds later.

She sucker punched him first. Then without even hesitating, she grabbed him by the hair and bent him over, smash her knee into his face. By now, Erik looked like he was going to cry. He yelled some swearing into the air, maybe at her, but Chase wasn't fazed. She just pushed past everyone and ran towards the beach.

For some insane reason, I followed her. I think I might be a bit out of my mind. She was angry enough to kick my ass for no reason whatsoever.

But, still, I followed her. I found her, sitting on a big piece of drift wood, watching the harsh waves. I stood where I was for a moment, watching her from a distance. She looked calm, but there was something deep in her eyes that was burning her alive. I began moving forward and sat next to her. She didn't even look at me.

"Are you here to finish me off, Jackson?" she asked quietly after a few moments.

That kind of took my off guard. I shook my head, stayed quiet, watching the rough waters and the pale moonlight reflecting onto them.

I didn't realize that Chase was crying until about half-an-hour later. I didn't say anything, I just watched her cry. She looked horrible, hair a bird's nest, eyes red and puffy; tears slipping from her eyes silently.

It was strange; the way she cried. Most girls hiccupped and howled. She didn't. It made me wonder what her life was like. It didn't seem very good.

"Look," I finally said, "I don't know why I'm here. But, I guess, I'm sorry."

She stopped cry and raised her eyebrows at me. "I don't need your pity," she said, still not looking at me.

I heaved a frustrated sigh. Any other guy would get up and leave. But, for some weird reason, I felt much more comfortable there with Annabeth than I did back at the bonfire with the girls in too skimpy outfits begging me to keep them warm.

Annabeth didn't touch me. Annabeth didn't even talk to me. She just let me sit there and do nothing.

At around 10, I began getting up. Annabeth finally looked at me. Her eyes were curious. "Why did you sit here?" she finally asked. "You could be over there," she gestured to the place where everyone else was, "Having a good time."

I furrowed my brow. This wasn't very Chase-like behavior. She was way too calm, way too…nice?

I shrugged. "Over there is not so great. Actually, it's so not great that sitting with you is better."

She didn't say anything, but from the way her shoulders slumped, yet tensed at the same times I could feel that I kind of hurt her feelings.

"Look, I—"

"Save it, Jackson."

She got up now, zipping up her jacket. I ruffled my hair, trying to shake out the guilty feeling inside me. But when we both turned around to go back to the bonfire, nobody was there. It was eerily clean and quiet; as if no one had ever been there in the first place.

I felt my heat stutter a bit, but I manned up, making my tone clear and loud as I said; "They left, I guess."

Annabeth didn't look convinced. For a glimmer of a second, her eyes met mine and we had this weird _understanding_: we both realized something was very…_off_ about this place right now.

I didn't want to stick around to find out what, but when I heard Chase gasp loudly. I spun around and what I saw made my breath hitch.

Two people stood behind us, a man and a woman. The woman had eyes identical to Annabeth: stormy gray. The man's eyes were identical to mine: sea green.

But that wasn't all. In the woman's hand she held a book.

A book named _Greek Architecture_.

A book that I was sure had been burnt to ashes a few hours ago.

* * *

**Wow. That WAS long. **

**Was it good? Was it bad? What type of things would you like to see in the future?**

**I'm going to get things really going in the next chapter; this was like the intro.**

**Btw, I hope you guys understand who the people are. If you do, then you know what I mean about the plot starting.**

**;-)**

**Review! Please? I really, really like it when you do. And, plus, I'll give you a virtual cookie. A big, soft virtual cookie…**

**Mmmm. Now I've made you (and me) hungry. Review to tell me you hate me/love me for it. **

**- S.**


	5. Meet the Parents & Stupid Twit Chanting

**I'm baaaaack! **

**Sorry for the delay. I was outta ma zooone, if ya know whatta mean. (I was visiting yet another country, so, not internet)**

**;-)**

**Enjoy the new chappie, chicas!**

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_**Chapter Five: Meet the Parents & Stupid-Twit Chanting**_

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Annabeth's POV:

I zipped up my jacket and stuffed my hands into my pockets. Jackson was such an absolute _twit_. He was _Jackson_ for gods' sake! I shouldn't be hopeful that he might not be such a horrible person just because he and I share about an hour together without killing each other.

I was incredibly stupid to be hopeful _at all_, actually.

I huffed internally as I marched back to the bonfire. In my head a ritualistic chanting was going in; one that might be considered creepy.

_Stupid Jackson, stupid Jackson, stupid, stupid, stupid. Twit Jackson, twit Jackson, twit Jackson, UGH._

And so it continued. I almost didn't notice the fact that we had reached the clearing where the bonfire had been. Or the fact that it looked like there had never _been_ a bonfire. I glanced at Percy, who looked like he thought the same as me. That was before I noticed the two people standing the exact place the fire had been; side by side.

The man was tall and wore beach clothing. If this had been a different situation and they weren't so menacing I would have scoffed. We were in _Long Island_. And he was wearing _board short_s. Oh, and, how could I forget? He also had on a fishing hat, one full of little badges that said funny morals or whatever.

But beyond the clothes, he had dark hair, jet black. His eyes were the strangest, though. They were a light, jade-like sea green. A color that was identical to Percy's. And, even standing about 8 feet away, the wind wafted his smell toward me: salty, but not too salty; like a light sea breeze.

Yet, the man barely caught my attention for more than two seconds. The woman was who I was more concerned with.

She was tall for a lady; with windswept brown hair that hung down, framing her remarkably strong face. She _was_ beautiful, but before you could even notice that, you noticed the extreme aura of _power_ around her. The man had some of that too, but the woman had a knowing gaze that was even more inhumane than the man's.

And that gaze was stormy gray. A color that's vaguely familiar to me.

It was the exact color as mine.

After a few (very open-mouthed) moments, I shut my pie-hole and gulped. Then, I noticed the book. It threw me into frenzy.

"Where did you get that?" I blurted without really meaning to.

The woman gave me a tiny smile. "I thought you might want it back," she said, her voice clear and bell-like. "And, anyway," she smiled a bit more now, "I know it doesn't taste so good."

I furrowed my brow at her. Taste? What did food, or _taste,_ have to do with this? This woman was either: a) very random, b) very strange or c) very insane.

"Um," I thought for a moment about my words before saying, "And, _who_ are you?"

The man and the woman (who seemed awfully cold to _each other_) seemed to smile similar smiles. Percy finally spoke up when he muttered; "Oh, man."

I glanced at him briefly, his eyes were guarded, seemingly flat. His expression was completely blank, but in a not-so-happy-right-now-so-fuck-off way.

The man gazed at Percy for a while. He smiled a small smile, brief too, before stepping forward. He said, in a very serious tone, "I should introduce myself. My name is Poseidon. And I'm Percy's father."

_Oh. OH. OH!_

Suddenly, everything clicked. All the research about my mother, the gods, reading about every aspect of their lives, trying to figure out why a woman who was so obviously supernatural and was named Aphrodite had visited me, seemed quite distant now, like a song that I knew backwards and forwards and usually played itself like background music in my head all day.

I didn't realize I'd gasped loudly until I heard the woman chuckle. When I stared into her eyes, I realized that she knew I knew. I took a step back, pulling person with me.

As I said before, I remembered every aspect of my research about Greek religion and gods. One aspect seemed quite vivid right now: demigods.

I finally caught myself and, staring at the woman with half frightened, half angered eyes, I breathed:

"Hello, Mother."

* * *

**Okay. Super short chapter. But I felt like I should give you SOMETHING. I'll try and update more now that I'm back in my "zone". And, no, I am not telling you where! You could be a stalker or rapist for all I know!**

**;-)**

**Review please! I know—I'm a review whore. But PLEASE. Feed my carnal hunger for the reviews.**

**Love;**

**- S.**


	6. A Trip To NYC & A Lot Of Parental Angst

**I'm not dead! I'm not dead! I'm not dead!**

**Well. Now that that's all cleared up…I hope you forgive me for my longest-ever writer's block.**

**Now! On with the show!**

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_**Chapter Six: A Trip To NYC & A Lot Of Parental Angst**_

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Annabeth's POV:

Some people have violent parents. Some people have happy parents. Some people have careless parents. Some people have overprotective parents.

And I, of course, was destined for the emotionless parent.

Athena was her name. I knew that much, she didn't have to repeat it. Right now, as she spoke, I could hear her voice like a quiet buzz in my ear, barely there and total gibberish. She could be telling me I was a fat cow on steriods and I wouldn't have batted a lash.

Most of my mind was preoccupied with trying to decipher this new word in my life…

…_mother_.

Strange. I had always thought meeting her might be fulfilling or relieving in some way. That I'd bubble with joy or plunge into an abyss of horror or feel some recognition, like maybe, a faint memory or something.

But I just felt…nothing. Nothing and the sadness that that nothingness brought. It weighted down on my shoulders, that sadness. It was uncomfortable. It made me wonder if it was just me who'd felt like this or if I was just part of the gang.

I tried to shake it off. I tried listening to her words. And funny how the moment I decided to listen was the moment she got to the interesting parts.

"Annabeth," she said in the same monotone, "Now that you know everything about gods," _I knew about them before you decided to come along_, "and, now that you know I am one, you must know that I've come to help."

I felt my jaw clench. I didn't meet her eyes. I scanned what was going on around. I saw Percy and his father in a far corner, looking like they were arguing. I wondered why. Poseidon and Percy had excused themselves a few moments after my greeting.

But even looking around, I couldn't help think: after all this time, she comes _now_?

I decided to voice my thoughts. "Why now?"

For the slightest second, Athena looked uncomfortable…maybe even, guilty. But then returned the stern yet reasonably nice expression.

"I have a plan. It, um," she cleared her throat uncomfortably again, "involves a favor."

I raised an eyebrow. I had guessed as much. "Of course."

Athena's expression slid off her face. Curiosity cloaked itself onto her features, as if she were staring at something (me) peculiar (now you notice?).

I lifted an eyebrow again. "Anything you'd like to say?"

"You're too much like me."

"I disagree."

She sighed. "You would."

I was taken aback for a second. She understood. She _understood_ what she was doing to me by being manipulative. I mean, I had read stories where the gods just didn't care and even stories where they would use their children, thinking nothing of them. But that didn't stop the intense pain nestling itself into and around my heart like a mutated vice.

After a few moments of staring at my feet, trying to ignore the painful stinging nearing my eyes, I broke the silence.

"What is the favor?"

Athena turned to me, finally catching my eyes with hers. She looked so serious, it scared me.

"I need you to go to New York City."

I shut my eyes. This wasn't going to be good, I just knew it. "Is that so?"

"You need to go to Olympus."

My shut eyes flew open. "_What?_"

"In Olympus, you must go to Aphrodite and ask for forgiveness."

I had to stop this conversation and back up a little. "_Wait._ You want _me_ to go to _Olympus_, where _Aphrodite_ is_, _and _ASK FOR HER FORGIVNESS?_"

"Keep your voice down," Athena said curtly, her eyes flicking to Jackson and his father.

"How _dare _you?_"_

I was angry now. I was very, very angry.

"How dare you come here after all this time and ask me to do you _favors!_ How dare you ask me to ask the woman— I mean, _goddess_— who _cursed_ me for _forgiveness? Me _asking _her!_ And for _you!_"

Athena's stormy gray eyes locked with mine. "You must _understand_. I am trying to _help you_. This is a favor, simply because…well, I needed to do the same and am sending you instead."

Coward. She was a _coward_.

Athena's head swiveled towards me. Her grey eyes blazed, bright and burning with fury. The look was familiar, so it didn't really scare me. She was right. She and I were alike, but only in how we dealt with our emotions.

"Dare _you_ think me a coward, you selfish little human?" said Athena in a deadly calm tone that made goose bumps burst across the surface of my skin. "I _created _you. You _will_ go to New York."

"You don't control me."

Athena stayed silent for a few moments, her, usually, stormy grey eyes a dark, black-ish grey that was filled with dark sentiment. She stared at me with the gaunt gaze for a few moments, her eyes swallowing me as she stared.

"It will give you answers."

Surprise flashed into me. My face automatically loosened and fell open. I shut it back as quickly as it opened, revealing nothing. But she, goddess, noticed.

"I am not lying," she said, let out a long exhalation that showed that she, too, had been murderously angry for a moment. "I saw it."

I raised an eyebrow, beckoning her to explain.

"Sometimes, we gods know a little more than the average creature." She smiled as she said that. A real, honest-to-god(s) smile. "Let it be at that."

I felt my eyes begin to lose their heavy, platonic armor. I let myself gaze at her, wonder if I should trust the species (if that's what they were) that ruined my life.

I finally nodded. It wasn't a okay-I'll-do-it-because-you-make-sense nod. It was a I'm-just-really-desperate-for-some-answers nod. And I think Athena saw that because she flinched as she met my eyes, and then, tried to reach out but thought better of it. I wondered, at that moment, what it'd be like to have a mother who hugged me and kissed my cheeks, held my face between her hands like I was the most precious thing in the world…

It was painful. I shouldn't think about it.

I breathed in a long, deep breath; filling my lungs with the cold but refreshing air. I turned to look at Jackson. I wondered if the god of the sea was his father. They seemed to know each other.

"Why is Poseidon here?" I asked, since it couldn't be to accompany his enemy.

Athena gritted her teeth. "For ridiculous reasons that will not be fulfilled."

I looked at her pointedly. She replied with a shrug. "His son has some business with Aphrodite, also. The boy, he said, should accompany you. It would be safer that way."

_So he is his father,_ I thought mildly. _I guess we're both demigods_.

Then I remembered the rest of the sentence.

"Wait," I sputtered, "Jackson? Coming with _me?_ To _New York?_"

Athena shook her head, looking superior. In a don't-mess-with-me-unless-you-want-your-head-on-a-stick way. "No."

"Oh."

We stood there, awkward as two people meeting for the first time (and having some kind of connection) can be, until Poseidon came back with Percy sulking behind him.

But as I looked closer at Jackson, I noticed that he wasn't sulking. He was _angry_. And that was proved by him snapping at me. "Stop staring at me," he growled, turning his head to avert his eyes from mine and I was slightly glad because I think those green orbs might've boiled me inside out if I'd looked in them when he was as angry as he looked.

Which was your ordinary, everyday I'm-about-to-scream-and-rip-anyone-who-crosses-me -limb-from-limb.

Note my sarcasm when I say _ordinary_ and _everyday_.

"Athena," says the god of the sea, a look of…reasoning in his eye. It seemed to irritate my mother, I noticed. "Come with me for a moment."

She looked like stiff and distant and supreme as she (reluctantly) went off with him.

* * *

Percy's POV:

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Dad wanted me to go to New York City.

With Annabeth Chase.

To talk to _Aphrodite_. Who is apparently the goddess of love. And he was the god of the sea. He said I knew her. I wondered what he meant but was too _angry_ with him to think of anything but this:

He. Didn't. Ever. Say. Anything.

I thought of moments where he might have looked thoughtful; why didn't he tell me then? I thought of moments when he looked stuck; maybe he'd wanted to tell me then.

I felt anger because there had been moments I'd thought my father was strange, not like all the other dads. Not just because he was quieter or never looked older. It was because there was this _glow_ around him all the time. And how inhumane he sounded sometimes, like he carried the millenniums of experience on his back; like it was they were the heaviest things in the world, his thoughts.

But I digressed. I digressed because I didn't want to feel hurt. And if I looked too deeply into this, I'd be hurt. And that would add one more emotion to my ever growing package of anger, shock, disbelief and more anger.

But as he spoke, none of the words really registering, even though I knew I'd remember them later. I caught a few phrases like "Aphrodite is angry" and "Annabeth is the same". I didn't even see how that added up. Annabeth and I, the same?

Please. Maybe in two billion years.

Eventually, my dad ended his rant. "You must go with her and I think that _both_ of you should apologize, at the same time," He contemplated, "Yes, I think that's would be fine. Aphrodite would be impressed. Athena and I joining forces just to please her, the goddess of love."

I tried to keep a poker face as I said it, but my furrowed: "Going where with who?"

My father looked impatient, which was strange. He was probably the most patient man I knew. Despite him being a liar. "New York. With Annabeth Chase."

So now here I am, wondering whatever I did to upset anyone enough for them to wish this much misfortune on me.

But still. I wondered things. So, I said, "_Why_?"

My father took a deep breath, like he was both trying to calm himself from being very, very upset by something. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was something…else.

"You'll find out your reasons on the way, son," he said solemnly, his eyes holding mine with a promise. "I swear to it."

Out of the blue, Poseidon flinched. He turned around and striding towards him was, who I assumed to be, Athena. She was tall with a trench coat and dark hair swishing behind her, the very image of feminine strength and power.

As she approached, she gestured for my father to come to the side. I guessed she wanted to talk privately. I shrugged and turned around, facing the other way, watching the thrashing sea. I didn't really care to eavesdrop.

I heard soft footsteps behind me and glanced backward to see the small body of Chase. She moved forward and stood beside me. In this silent, totally un-girl-like way, she conveyed what she was she thinking. Or I just caught on.

But what was there was that Annabeth was laying down a peace treaty. I think that she knew there was a better chance of us getting to New York if we went together. This was her showing me that she wouldn't be completely suicidal about it.

I wondered why Chase was so different from other girls. The way she didn't need words to talk, where as other girls used they _way_ too much and in _very_ useless ways. Maybe it was because she wasn't as pretty as the others. Maybe it was because there was that deep, darkness to her eyes that made you wonder about what it was that made her so mysterious, so distant.

But my thoughts of Chase were broken when I heard a clear, vicious tone.

"He will not go with her."

I asumed that was Athena. Her voice was just like her. It was high, clear and totally emotionless. I wonder how Annabeth put up with it.

"He must. Don't you understand? Aphrodite will seduce Hades into doing _anything_ _she wants_! She'll have every monster in the underworld after both of them after Annabeth—"

"What makes you assume that Annabeth will reveal that part of herself?"

I stopped abruptly. Annabeth noticed, too. She was frozen in her spot, I could feel it.

"You've seen it. Don't think I haven't."

Athena let out a sound that didn't sound like something she'd usually let out. "You've seen _nothing_," she growled. "You _know_ nothing! I won't have your despicable son near my daughter!"

"Percy's…other relationships have nothing to do with this. They aren't romantically involved."

Without really wanting to be mean/rude/a jerk, I made a face. I wouldn't _ever_ be involved with anyone like the Annabeth I knew: angry, sullen and ugly (inside and out).

Athena let out a high, uncontrolled _shriek_. She saw sense in what he was saying but _hated_ it for some reason. It made me wonder what I had done to her to piss her off so much.

And, when her scream made the bonfire ignite again, I hoped I'd never piss her off again.

Athena marched off after that, only bothering to turn to Annabeth and call; "If you ever feel uncomfortable, Annabeth, you just think it. I'll be there without missing a beat."

Chase nodded, but her eyes were wide as if begging for her mother to do something to not let this happen. Yet, after Athena disappeared with a huge flash of whiteness, my father looked content. I wondered why he wanted Annabeth to come so badly.

"You two go on now," he smiled, beginning to shimmer already.

"Wait," Annabeth spoke loudly and a bit shrilly. "You haven't even told us how to get there!"

Poseidon grinned. "You'll figure it out. Just no planes, okay? Percy's not allowed on them. Zeus' forbidden it," he shrugged. "Sorry."

Annabeth let out a whimper/shriek. She was frustrated, I took. Well, that made two of us. I turned back to my father and met his eyes. "I'll do what you ask. But don't think this makes you in any way my father, Poseidon. This thing…is strictly god-human."

My father didn't seem fazed. That angered me beyond words. He just winked, "God-demigod."

Yeah, dad. Thanks.

Thanks for that nice little reminder that I'm the _son of a god_.

Now I wanted to shriek.

* * *

**Okay. Done! Yay! This took me…weeks to finish. I'm really sorry again. :-(**

**Review to tell me you hate me? Love me? Want more? **

**Anything. Just, please, review. Even if I don't deserve it. ;-P**

**- S.**


	7. A Flower & An Ocean

**I promised you this! And, luckily, I got some inspiration after a very frustrating writers' block. I swear to god, those things are works of Satan.**

**Anyway. The chapter! The chapter!**

**

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_**Chapter Seven: A Flower & An Ocean**_

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Annabeth POV:

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"Would you _hurry up_?"

He was so _slow_. His feet were barely lifting off the ground as he dragged them at the pace of a fucking_ snail! _And, he had this sad pouty look on his face like his puppy had just died or something! It was preposterous!

He was so sad, he didn't even snap back at me. He just lifted his sad eyes and gave me a look that made me both melt and burn on.

I muttered nonsense as I trudged on, shrieking every so often. Being in such extended presence and such close proximity to the guy I _hate_ was really starting to make my brain go berserk. I felt like crying, laughing and screaming all at once.

Percy and I had left for the Big Apple two days ago. He had been pretty messed up about talking to his dad. We barely talked but I could sense his messed-up-ness. It was like he radiated it.

I was no better but Percy was the total opposite of me: he let his emotions show…like he couldn't care less what you thought of them or him. I kind of envied him for that quality; I was much more reserved, like a locked box and I was the only one with the key.

But something about Percy Jackson just got into the box and made it _explode_.

Right now, we were about 4 days away from New York City. The reason we were _walking_ was because there was no car within miles of us. I had a feeling the gods had something to do with that. All the _other_ gods, I mean. They were putting every effort they could into keeping up away from Olypmus. I was actually surprised that monsters hadn't come our way. I was pretty sure Hades had full access to them.

But then again, from what I'd heard, Hades couldn't care less about the gods above since they'd pretty much thrown him into an endless pit of fire a few trillion years ago.

I could only hope they didn't do the same to me and Percy.

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Percy's POV:

* * *

I was depressed.

It was a very sad, very unmanly thing to be but I was it. I wasn't completely sure why but something about travelling to New York to do something for a lying father just put this heavy weight on my shoulders.

I wondered if he could see me like this. Feel what I was feeling. I hope he could, because then he'd know how much it just…threw my off my axis. It was like the one man in my life who'd know me better than myself was just…a fake.

It made me feel like nothing was real and that all was just…nothing.

As you can probably guess, I'm in a really dark, really strange place right now.

And having Annabeth nearby wasn't really helping. Something about her just put made me want to sneer. But lately, I didn't even have enough energy to do that.

"Do you want to stop here?"

My head snapped up. It wasn't because she'd suddenly talked, Annabeth had been talking quite a bit but I didn't respond, but something about her tone made me look up. It was softer and…sweeter.

What was the catch here?

I looked at her, and her expression was blank. Her lips were set normally, her nose was in its usual place…but her eyes. There was something strange about her eyes. They were…pretty.

And that was weird. Because, since I'd known her, nothing about Annabeth had ever seemed pretty.

But as she stared out into whatever she was looking at, her eyes got so soft and gentle that it was hard to look away. It was like the storminess shad evaporated and some sweetness had made the glowing gray orbs sparkle.

Yeah. Weird.

I finally pulled my eyes off her own faraway ones and managed to look at whatever it was she was looking at.

The ocean.

It was huge and blue and beautiful. There was sunlight streaming down in few rays, making it shine like it was made of liquid sapphire. But that when I looked back at Annabeth, that wasn't what she was looking at. Instead, she dropped her bag and ran forward with surprising grace. The Annabeth I knew stumbled and tripped and couldn't walk for shit.

But when she ran forward, she went straight to this tiny bundle of flowers growing out of the ground. She reached out slowly, like they would be frightened and gently, so gently, touched their petals.

And something about that sent a shiver down my spine.

Yet again: weird.

I felt myself being pulled towards her. I knelt down beside her and barely murmured, "They're beautiful."

And they were. The flower was hidden by the beauty of the ocean behind it but there was just something about it that was beautiful. It wasn't because it was some special kind of flower, no. it was a simple little white daisy. As I looked around I could see a few others. But the way Annabeth looked at this one made it just look…ethereal.

Annabeth nodded at my comment but didn't even look at me. I furrowed my brow. "Why this one?"

She shrugged but didn't reply verbally. As she reached forward she pulled the tiny flower out the ground. And when she did that, I realized that it was growing out of an ant hill. My brow furrowed further, but I just watched Annabeth flick the ants of the flower and get up and plant it somewhere else.

When she finished planting it in another area of soft dirt and saw my expression she shrugged again. "it would've died."

And that's when I really realized it.

There was something much, much more different about Annabeth than just being the daughter of a goddess.

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**Okay. So, its short. But, really, I'm starting to feel it out! I'll try and update by next week, and probably will because winter break starts then! *does a happy dance***

**School was getting super tough! **

**Btw, I'd like to thank you all for your great support. You're comments made me want to write. You're my inspiration and my reward.**

**Btw, again, there's more reason behind why Annabeth chose that flower than you think. Think about it. It was dying and most people didn't approach it because it was planted in an ant hill. But the flower itself was pretty but no one could see it.**

**Do you see what I'm getting at? ;-)**

**Anyway, thank you again! And, please, review!**

**Love;**

**- S.**


	8. LoveBeauty & AngerRevenge

**Haha! Lucky ducks. You got more!**

**Btw, if there are any typos, I'm really sorry! I didn't check it. I just posted it as quickly as I could. :-P**

**Enjoy, Cherie(s). ;-)**

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_**Chapter Eight: Love-Beauty & Anger-Revenge**_

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Annabeth's POV:

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I gently placed the little white bud into the soft dirt, as far away from that cursed ant hill as possible. Something about something so delicate being mangled by those bugs was just…so wrong.

I brushed my knees as I stood up and let out a soft sigh. I turned around, my face changing from soft to hard as it did. Percy had seen a side of me that I should _not_ have let him see. He must either think I'm a bigger freak or that, maybe, now…he'll…_like_ me. As a _friend_.

I shuddered at what could come out of _that _mess.

"So. Are you just gonna sit there, by the grass, or get off your ass and start moving again?" I made my tone as snarky as possible.

Percy blinked a few times, and it was kind of cute. He got up and kind of opened and closed his mouth a few times before, probably, shaking it off and going;

"Whatever."

He got up and a really, really angry look was on his face. Since I _hate_ prissiness and Percy was being just about as fucking prissy as a guy can get, I took a jab at him; the first time since this damn trip began.

"What is wrong with you? Why is that priss look on your face?" I snapped, my eyes flashing, daring him to fight.

He fought. He seethe, jaw clenched and his jade eyes sharper than I've ever seen.

"Maybe it's because you're a _bitch_ and I'm fucking _stuck_ with you on this damn messed-up expedition until god knows fucking _when_!"

I felt myself begin shaking with anger. How dare he call me a bitch! How _dare _he!

"I'm the bitch? I think you're little brain is processing that wrong. You're the bitch in this situation, Jackson."

"You're fucking angry! And you never fucking talk about it!" He yelled, moving closer towards me, totally abolishing any peace we'd had before. "You just fucking snap and act _rude_! I don't fucking understand it."

I went incredibly quiet. "_Nobody_ fucking asked you to understand me."

Percy ran a hand through his hair. "You see that? _That _is exactly what I'm talking about. You just…close yourself out! Like nobody's worth it. Like it's better to be alone than with the world."

I felt like I was slowly becoming naked. It wasn't a good feeling. I didn't even know why we were talking about this. I was shaking and was leading Percy to territory he didn't know of.

"Ever consider I'm right?" I asked, my bottom lip shaking with the new tears. I hated crying. Especially in front of asses like Percy Jackson.

His head snapped up. When he saw the look on my face, he looked kind of surprised. That was soon replaced by a softer, apologetic look that made my heart hurt even more. My whole body started shaking.

"Shit, I'm so—"

I ran away before he could finish his sentence. I didn't want pity. I didn't want anything. Especially from Percy Jackson.

I ran until my sight was blurred by my tears. Until I was sure I was near no one. Then, I ripped off everything that made me look ugly, everything that made Fake Me, and started crying. I was crying and crying to no end, sobbing embarrassingly loud.

But, I didn't care. I couldn't. I was too preoccupied with feeling the deep stab of pain in my chest. The last one I could handle. After all these years, these days, I was broken. I couldn't do it anymore.

The gods had officially broken me. I hope they were happy.

"We didn't want this."

I nearly jumped out of my skin and screamed.

When I looked up, a medium-size man with salt-and-pepper hair and cool golden colored sandals was looking at me, his face set in such agony, I couldn't help but feel better. He understood.

"Who're you?" I asked, my nose still stuff.

The man smiled. "I'm Hermes. I'm here to send you a message."

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Percy's POV:

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I couldn't believe what just happened. I was such an ass.

I was such an absolute ass.

I moved to sit on one of the rocks. I sat down and, for the first time in my life, I cried.

I cried 'cause of my dad, my mistakes, my fate. I cried a lot.

It wasn't loud sobs of grief, shaking me. I just sat there, shaking a little, crying and hurting inside. I let myself become so…bad. Why? Why was I such an ass?

First, the girls. Then, Annabeth. More bullying. All the wrong I'd done.

So much wrong.

I'd lost myself in a lake, no, an _ocean_ of wrong. And I was drowning.

After a few minutes of pure guilt, I caught myself and started rubbing the tears out of my eyes.

I wouldn't give my father this satisfaction. I wouldn't give it to myself either.

I was just going to keep being. That was the worst punishment I could give myself: not changing.

The ache within my chest amplified. It made me want to scream and make a scene…but it made me not want to do that, and maybe, retire to a corner and wither away quietly.

I felt insane with guilt. I was willing to throw myself off a building I hated myself so much.

I wondered where this had began. When had I lost love for myself? Why had I lost love for myself? Could I ever remember loving myself? Loving anything?

No. I couldn't.

"That's because I stripped you of that."

I jumped about 5 feet. When I looked up with puffy eyes, a beautiful woman stood before me.

Her hair was like silk, her eyes like kaleidoscopes. Her body was elegant and yet sexy. She was tall and willowy. And her face made actresses look like hilly-billies.

I immediately felt a pull in my gut, bringing me forth to the woman.

Lust. I knew it really, really well.

The lady smiled down at me, amused. Something about her made me think she knew what I felt for her.

"Oh, I do know."

Damn. I think she hears my thoughts.

"Not quite," she smiled fully. "I feel them."

"Oh."

"Aren't you going to ask me who I am?" she asked, raising a perfect eyebrow.

I shrugged. After the immediate feeling of lust…everything about her kind of evaporated. I began turning around and walking away until I looked to my bag and the woman was there now.

I sighed. "God?"

"Goddess," she said.

"Who are you?" I asked flatly. "And what do you want?"

She raised her eyebrow again. She looked at me up and down, studying me closely. It was uncomfortable but I didn't really care anymore.

"I'm Aphrodite. And I've come to help you and you're little companion out a bit."

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Annabeth's POV:

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"So, I don't listen to her?"

Hermes nodded gravely. "Aphrodite…she's been on a bit of a rampage for a while. She kind of hit her breaking point a while ago…your mother and Poseidon. They did something that upset her very much."

I wondered what it was. I also wondered if Hermes would tell me. He seemed different from the other gods.

"I will tell you. I'm angry at Athena for not doing that. She has too much pride."

I nodded, but said nothing, willing him to continue.

He eyed me for a moment. "You're like you're mother. Just as quiet…but maybe not as prideful."

I grimaced at him. "Thank you."

"Well, I should probably explain from the beginning, right?"

I nodded again, wanting to roll my eyes, but didn't. Patience and me, together for once. Who would have thought it?

"Annabeth, you know the story of the golden apple and Paris and the Trojan War, correct?"

I nodded. "3 goddesses, ask which is most beautiful because they want a pretty fruit, use the judgment of a mortal, Paris chooses Aphrodite because she promises him his love will love him back, etc etc."

Hermes chuckled. He nodded. "How do you think Hera and Athena felt?"

I shrugged. I personally didn't understand women's endless obsession for physical perfection. "Angry, I guess."

"Yes, angry. Hera got over it since the Trojan War did eventually distract them all. But Athena, she knows how to hold a grudge." Hermes face became more grime. "15 years ago, Athena finally planned her revenge. But…it went so horribly wrong."

"Athena had thought that if she were to distract Aphrodite with the danger of her children, demigods, with natural disasters, she'd have enough time to steal the apple. Aphrodite, the silly girl she is, keeps it in her room. But, any god or mortal, other than her or with her consent, that goes in there immediately gets vaporized. But apparently Athena solved that. So, Athena convinced Poseidon to strike the camp where all the demigods were with a tsunami. She promised him something he'd wanted for a long time: full rights to the chariot. But, Athena, in the end even managed to squirm out of that deal."

I interrupted Hermes. "Get to big part."

Hermes nodded. "When the tsunami hit, a lot of things were ruined and destroyed. Especially things of Aphrodite. Posedion never did like her. Anyway, along with that, one very large mistake happened. Your mother was expecting everyone to be in the dining hall at the time of the tsunami. And she was planning this so that no one would be hurt. But what she didn't expect was that one of Aphrodite's children would be outside. On the beach."

I felt myself sink into the horrible realization.

"He died."

I put a hand over my mouth. "That's…"

Hermes nodded. Understanding. "Athena can't face herself. Neither can Poseidon. A plan has never gone so wrong. And now, Aphrodite's on a rampage. Has been for the last 15 years. She's after favorite's of the gods…since the gods of wisdom and sea killed hers."

I felt my lips begin shaking. I didn't know what to say.

Being dragged into this was bad yes, but I thought it was just something…simple. Not this. Not a millennium long battle between the three goddess. And why were the gods so _stupid_? Revenge is never the answer.

"You're wise, dear Annabeth," Hermes smiled as he began getting up from the rock he was sitting on. "It gives me hope."

I smiled shyly at him. "I can't blame Aphrodite. Her son…that's just wrong. Unfair…horrible…hideous."

I gasped at the memory.

Hermes frown became a look of pure sadness for a moment. Something about his silence told me Aphrodite wasn't talking about emotion there…but was speaking of her poor boy's body…mangled by the sea and wrath of revenge.

I felt a sob bubble in my throat, but I choked it down. Hermes let out one tear. "Adrian was only 12. But he was her favorite. Always brought her this one flower…a ranunculus I think. He used to say it represented his mom's loving, silly heart along with her stunning good looks. She would always laugh…"

My frown grew deeper. Death for that poor little boy…I let one tear escape.

_Poor, poor little boy._

Idiotic, mindless _fools_ that name themselves _gods_.

Hermes chuckled at that. I think i heard thunder in the distance, though, it only made me angrier.

They would pay. They would pay for this.

"I need to go now." Hermes brushed his knees off.

I nodded. Hermes gave me one last smile, and then he disappeared.

He was a good god. He gave hope: hope for getting better...hope for a life...hope for the gods.

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Percy's POV:

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"What do you need to talk to us about?"

She smiled again, a sly, sick smile. She wasn't actually happy. That was an avenging smile.

Aphrodite snapped her gaze at me. She didn't look even remotely happy now. She was pure anger. Even her hair looked redder. But that snapped away almost immediately, when Annabeth broke through the brush and appeared before me again.

When Annabeth saw Aphrodite her expression went from shock to anger then, slowly, to a softer expression. Not really sympathy…not really not.

And when Aphrodite saw her the expression thing happened to her, too. She smiled…then she smiled wider, evil glinting her doe-like eyes. But, finally, her expression became incredulous.

And, now…now she was angry.

"They told you!" she said, her eyes flashing.

Annabeth nodded but didn't smile.

Aphrodite fumed at her for a moment, but then, I think, she heard a thought of Annabeth or something and she broke down into tears.

A goddess was crying.

Not to sound insensitive…but how awkward is that? I would pat her back but I was scared she might vaporize me.

Annabeth didn't seem insensitive though. She ran forward, graceful like an angel, and hugged the goddess. She _hugged_ her. And…something about her, Annabeth, was so beautiful when she did that, my jaw kind of fell open. It was just such a soft, tender gesture; even the way she embraced the broken immortal was like that.

Aphrodite just cried harder into her shoulder. She was muttering things, like "sorry" and "anger" and "boy".

I was lost but right now seemed like the time to retreat and give the girls some space.

As I walked away, strolling down the beach and feeling the salty breeze in my hair, I didn't feel half as bad as before. Something about seeing something so tender and full of love…it made _me_ feel love.

And I loved that.

I loved the feeling of love.

Maybe it was just because I hadn't felt much of it. But that feeling of intensity, yet it's the barest whisper of feeling at the same time. And it's so strong and heavy…but at the same time I feel like it makes me light, free of any and all tethers, and soft and sweet, like marshmallows.

Love is just really, really nice.

What I didn't realize then, though, was that every time I _felt_ love…it was because of Annabeth.

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**What do you think?**

**Please, leave more reviews. **** I gave you thiiiiiis long of a chapter. AND I provided you an explanation!**

**So, don't I deserve some love? :-P**

**Anywho, I hope you liked it and I'm not serious about the reviews. I love that you guys even take the time to read my stories. And I'm back in my groove so I'll update ASAP.**

**Love;**

**- S.**


	9. Pools & Worries

**Sorry for the lateness! I'm a despicable human being who has nothing but an excuse: homework…and then the flu. **

**BUT, I come bearing gifts! Like a very fluffy chapter. Like nothing really happens, but I felt like I should slow down, you know?**

**Enjoy!**

**PS: A lot of people asked if Annabeth came out without her Fake-stuff. She didn't. I repeat: ****DID****NOT****.**

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_**Chapter Nine: Pools & Worries**_

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Annabeth's POV:

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Sleep is my friend.

It gives you these utterly mind-numbing moments, that make you want to roll over and just sigh happily, with your eyes closed and a small, unconscious smile on your face. It's the moment where you have nothing but your imagination running wild in your head and a soft pattern of breathing that's your own.

Lately, my sleep was nothing like that. Percy and I usually just stopped in an open area of grass and pulled out our sleeping bags and fell into a light-and-irritable type of sleep. The kind that doesn't leave you satisfied, but just kind of…disgusted. And your teeth feel weird and your brain feels like it's been run over by a tractor.

It's like the anti-sleep. You're in an unconscious turmoil or something.

But, anyway. My sleeping patterns were severely messed up. Just like the majority of things in my life lately.

I lay in my sleeping bag, my face feeling sticky. I hadn't taken off Fake Me since…since this had started. I felt like my face was covered in old muck. I needed some kind of bathing session.

I peeked open my eyes, rubbing them a little. It was still kind of dark, probably somewhere around 4 am. Percy's gentle snoring was some 4 meters to my right. I silently sat up and looked around.

We had changed our sleeping setup today. We were nearer to the shore, on a patch of sand-grass, a cold sea breeze caressing my face. I got up now, standing up and out of my purple sleeping bag. I stretched my back, stiff from the tough ground. I listened to the tiny cracks and the little waves of relaxing tingles that came with each.

As I rolled up my sleeping bag, as quietly as I could, I looked around and on the far, far right side of the shore, I saw cliffs. Hard, tall, gray cliffs. I wondered if with cliffs, came caves. And with caves, came small bathing pools.

It was an interesting thought.

I glanced at Jackson. He was still asleep. He probably would be for a while now. He had the habit of waking up later than me; at about 8 or 9. That gave me at least 3 hours.

Resolved, I began making my way down a slope, towards the shore. I reached the shore and decided to rid myself of my shoes, which, on the way down, had been filled with sand and other things I'd rather not think of.

Pulling off my shoes and socks, and stashing them behind a small shrub, I began walking on the seashore. The sand was softer here, wetter. I felt it between my toes and smiled, pressing them deeper.

I turned my attention away from the feeling of sand and to the big mass of water to my right. My gaze shifted up to the sky and I wondered if the gods were watching right now. I wondered if Aphrodite was alright.

When I walked through the underbrush and saw Aphrodite and Percy, I was surprised. But then, when Aphrodite's face became real and I saw…everything…I couldn't help it. I ran to her. She collapsed into my arms, begging for my forgiveness, but mostly, wanting her little boy.

I felt like that was a moment so raw with emotion…I just…couldn't even begin to explain it to myself, let alone anyone else.

After Aphrodite put herself together a little, she told me the curse wasn't going to break. I knew I should've been angry and stubborn and resistant, something my personality would probably have caused, but at that moment, I just felt…ruined. Finished. My world had already collapsed, why had I thought answers, reason for the collapsing, would make anything better? Why did I think it would fix anything.

I read that gods felt thoughts. Aphrodite felt mine and she wailed again. I felt bad. She seemed sweet. She had just been hurt. More than hurt. She'd been torn apart.

She'd lost her son.

So, as I walk her along the beach, the only person I can really blame is greed and revenge. They're the reason Athena did what she did, Poseidon did what he did. It proved that the gods weren't the almighty power. They were victims to bigger, badder things, too.

I finally reached the hard, tall cliffs. I glanced around and, soon enough, I found my bathing pool. I peeled off my dirty clothes and put them in a corner. I did the same with everything that made Fake Me.

The cave was a small one, I thought, and was completely gray. The water seemed alright, not too dirty, but I feared it was going to be frigid. The surface of the cave was relatively smooth, something I didn't really expect. Altogether, a generally okay-looking cave. The water was light, an almost lit up pool in the center. It was almost turquoise. A radiant, pretty color. It was too bad the water felt like ice against my skin.

As I got in, my entire body starting shivering. I knew from my share of watching the Discovery Channel that when I began feeling warm, I should get out ASAP. But for now, I tried focusing on the cool clean feeling I was starting to get, opposed to the deep-rooted urge to jump out of the pool.

After spending about 30 eternal seconds in the pool, I jumped out. I was surprised to find a new stack of clothes and some new material for Fake Me in the corner I'd put my clothing. On top of the clothing was a small, folded note. The handwriting was neat, but very obviously girly. A dead giveaway for the writer.

_- I thought you might want these. And, while I try and lift the curse, I suggest you continue using the other materials given._

Aphrodite was trying to lift the curse. I thought about that for a moment. First, I felt happiness; the curse would lift and I would be free! But…as I continued to think about it, the more I realized that if the curse would lift, so many things would need to be explained. So much drama would occur.

But…as I thought of that, I also thought of how worth it, it would be.

I dressed myself quickly, then, put on my…erm…_make up_.

Walking out of the cave, I glanced over at the sea. The waters looked harsh this early and the cliffs weren't downplaying the negative energy it all conjured up.

I looked out again and was overcome by a sense of heaviness. A weight. I had a long, hard path before I could think about being _free_ or being _happy_.

I had a lot more to worry about. And one of those things, the one with really green eyes, was walking down the beach right now, yelling at me:

"Annabeth! Hey! You're mom's here!"

Speak of the devil. Another worry.

Lucky me.

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**That's all for today. I wasn't really in the mood for Percy's POV.**

**I dunno why. :-P**

**Try and review? It'd make me verrrrrrry happy. **

**Much love for reading! Promise to try and update more often. It's just that I feel like this story's escaping me. The idea's initial pizzazz wearing off, you know? I hate it when that happens.**

**Thanks anyway.**

**Love; **

**- S.**


	10. Crazy People & Friend People

**Hey! A not-soon-but-not-late update! [Hehehe. Rhyming! Gots to love it. ;)]**

**This song was inspired by TAYLOR SWIFT. If you don't like her, you're probably a guy. Or a girl in great, great denial.**

**:P**

**Enjoy, loves!**

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_**Chapter Ten: Crazy People & Friend People**_

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Annabeth's POV:

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My mother should've know better than to come to me. Especially so soon after the Incident By the Bonfire. Especially _while_ she's _using_ me.

Especially since I'm ashamed of having a mother like her. Goddess or not, she was knee-deep in sins and no one could save her from that.

When Percy had come running down the beach, he'd given me an odd look.

"Where'd you get the clothes?"

"Aphrodite."

"Who?"

I sighed and began walking. He walked with me. "Goddess of love," I said. "She visited us yesterday."

"Oh. That's her name?"

"Yeah."

He didn't say anything after that. Neither Percy nor I are much of conversationalists. And, with the added bonus of hating one another, we really didn't have anything to talk about. To each other, anyway.

But, without words to complicate things, Percy's presence was oddly comforting. It was like we had something in common that neither of us realized. I didn't know how but we had conversations…they just didn't have words. Usually it was with a motion or a slight change in facial expression.

I didn't know. I didn't know anything. Especially about Percy Jackson.

But, strangely enough, I'm okay with that.

We reached the slight slope where we'd slept and ta-da. Mother appears, dressed in chic black pants and a blue cardigan. Her brown hair and body still exuding that…_something _but it was no longer enchanting. In fact, it was kind of sad. Someone with an aura like that, still weak enough to be subjected to things like greed and revenge.

Athena flinched. She was feeling my thoughts. Good. Because that's the only form of communication she'd be getting from me.

"Ehem. Um. Annabeth." She didn't sound so goddess-ish today.

Athena cracked a tiny grimace. She heard me. I didn't smile back. I just stared into her eyes, identical to my own, and wondered when she'd get to the point.

For half a second, I could have sworn her face fell and I almost felt bad, but then the emotionless mask was back up.

_Nice to know where my expressionless-ness comes from. And social awkwardness._

"I didn't really…have a reason."

After she said that, I assumed she was just her in some lame attempt to save some of her pride. I promptly turned my back on her and began gathering my things. Athena probably couldn't take all the shame because when I turned back she was gone.

I sighed but kept packing. I noticed Percy was doing the same.

"Hey, Annabeth," he finally said, after we rolled up our sleeping bag, brushing the sand and weed and such off of them.

I glanced at him to show him I was listening.

"What did our parents do?"

The fact that I wasn't caught off guard by his question kind of depressed me and humored me. What a day and age it was. Where children were ashamed of their parents, not the other way around.

I answered honestly, staring at the sparkling sea under the rising sun. "I wish I knew how to explain it."

Percy saw the opening for answers and dived. I couldn't blame him. He was even less informed than I was. "Well, there's got to be one single main point. Can't you just say that?"

I shook my head. How do you say 'my mother and your father killed another woman's son' nicely? Percy seemed close to his father. They'd survive this little…I'm-a-god-sorry-I-didn't-tell-you bump in their relationship. I couldn't ruin that. So, I lied.

"They trashed Aphrodite's magic." That seemed believable. And very god-like.

Percy looked confused. I continued, feeling that uncomfortable lightness of guilt in my stomach, alike to the feeling you get when riding a roller coaster up to its highest peak: your body's readying itself for disaster: "They stole it. She used the last ounces of it to curse us."

"Oh." That's all he said, expressionless.

I sighed again, the guilt seeping into my heavily, like liquid pouring into an ocean, getting heavier and heavier until I could barely handle the weight.

I looked towards the distant New York Skyline and calculated the miles left to go.

About 8 more, which meant only two more days. But with all this drama around to put the weight-of-the-world on my shoulders, even that was too much.

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Percy's POV:

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Lately, looking at Annabeth was like looking at a kicked puppy.

She was just so…_sad_. It was the type of sad that made you want to throw everything out of your life and chase this one person around the globe, if that was made them happy.

And this was _me_, Percy Jackson, guy who never even _liked_ her, saying this.

But, something about the small lines beside the corners of her lips that made her so much sadder. Or maybe it was that every time she thought I wasn't looking, I'd sneak a glance and see her guard of expressionless-ness down and would see just how much something had…_hurt_ her.

So, when her mother had come and gone again, and we were still on the road to Manhattan, I asked her.

"What did our parents do?"

She didn't answer. But I could feel the sad, dark humor that she felt when I said it. The loose ends in this situation had broken her. Suddenly, my appetite for knowing said questions wasn't so great.

"I wish I knew how to explain it." She turned her eyes to ocean and her stormy gray eyes were so jaded, so dark. Her profile was highlighted by the sunlight, parts of her hair glimmering. Annabeth had the potential to be the most beautiful person in the world, I suddenly saw. Her skin was the most fantastic color of bronze and her eyes clashed with it magnificently; like the grace-of-an-eagle type of magnificent. But she didn't try.

And something about that just…struck me. It was this refreshing wave of…difference.

Annabeth wasn't like any girl I'd ever met.

I realize just how _unlike_ them she was today.

She lied about why our parents were sending us. I didn't care, but, well. She lied. But something about her told me I was better off not knowing.

So, I let it go. And then we packed up and were, now, on the road again.

The path we were on was a deserted road, the tar almost gray from age but the grassland surrounding us was so green it was beautiful. Little flowers poked in the cracks in the road as well as in the grasses around us. Thickets of trees were nearby, tall with dark trunks and dense green leaves, framing our path. And with the intense glimmering growing sunlight, there would come moments where I could look at it from the corner of my eye or, even, straight on and it would look like something out of a fairytale.

I walked on one side of the road. Annabeth walked on the other. I looked over at the other side, at her. Her head hung low and her eyes were solely on her shoes. She couldn't even see the things, the _real_ things, that surrounded her. She was too haunted by the things that were invisible to everyone but her.

I didn't know where it came from or why, but I suddenly started talking.

"You know, my mom would always take me to this little beach house in the corner of Long Island."

Annabeth's head snapped up and she gave me a startled look. I shrugged and kind of grinned, talking some more.

"It was the most beautiful little place, she told me she met my dad there. Its crappy and doesn't have a decent AC system but I love it. The sand was this kinda grey and really kind of tough and, well, most people would hate it between their toes but I loved it. And there was no TV, so all you could do is read or go for walks…"

And it continued. I went from the cottage to what people think is nice and what I think is nice and how stereotypical most people are. And on and on about little stories of girls I went out with who I didn't even know why I went out with, who did the stupidest thing.

I just rambled and rambled until I didn't remember what I was even talking about. It was kind of a…nice feeling.

And Annabeth was a surprisingly nice listener. She wasn't overly into it, like she was really trying or really trying to fake it, but she was just…listening. I could tell from little things like smiling a little as she stared at the tips of her shoes or kicking a rock and frowning a little when I talked about angrier things or the little glances she gave me, giving me a small bit of eye contact.

And when our eyes did meet, I didn't know what was happening. I mean, shit. It was all time-stops and internally begging her not to look away and let me see some more of her really, really deep eyes. It was like they held every secret of this world and the next.

It was some serious stuff. And it scared me to death.

I mean, one time, _one time_, I start talking to her like I've never talk to anyone before and all this stuff comes out? Where did this _come_ from anyway? I'm not a gooey, lovey-dovey kind of guy. I don't become whipped by girls I go out with (or do) more than twice. I'm just really….independent.

So, why was Annabeth Chase (out of all people, _Annabeth Chase_) doing this to me? Why was I becoming an internal place of gushing…_happy_?

It was really, really disturbing that someone could have such a major effect in such minor time.

But I didn't read too much into it. Why, where, how, when. Who cared? It didn't matter. None of this did. By a week's time, all of this will be done. Like ash. Blown far, far away.

It'll be gone.

"Hey, Annabeth," I asked, finally directing a question at her.

"Hmmm."

"Does it bother you that I'm talking so much?"

I wasn't sure that I wanted an answer to that, right after I asked it.

_Smart move, Perce._

But Annabeth just shook her head. She actually smiled, too.

Smiled.

And I was gone. I mean, blown over. And rolling down the next hill.

Her real, honest-to-god smile was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

And I wanted to see it again.

And again. And again.

And then…_then_ I knew. Annabeth Chase was something else. She wasn't pretty. Her hair was actually kind of gross looking. But she had this beautiful thing inside her that was just…mind-blowing.

I really didn't know how to deal with it, me or my feeling for it.

So, I just stared at her for a few more seconds, then looked away. Being true to the ass I am. Couldn't have I even smiled back? No. I couldn't. Because then I was approaching area that wasn't strictly inside my head.

_Coward_.

_Fuck yeah, I'm a coward_, I thought. I blinked harder, in attempt to erase the weird-Annabeth-smile feelings. It wouldn't work. I made my footsteps harder, stomping almost, as if it could stomp out those feelings. I even tried grinding my teeth, like I could grind away those stupid, useless feelings.

I think I was starting to like those feelings too much.

I came to an abrupt stop. I shut my eyes tight. I sat down on the side of the sidewalk.

And I looked like a crazy person.

Annabeth's footsteps faltered. They got louder and I knew she was coming towards me. They stopped and I knew she was in front of me.

I finally opened my eyes a smidgen and looked up at her. She was still standing and looking down at me, a hand over her eyes, eyebrows raised.

"On a roll today are we? Trying to win the Crazy Person Award?"

I sighed. I deserved the witty comments. I deserved them.

Annabeth sighed, too. She suddenly sat down beside me and there we were. On the side of a deserted road, sitting cross-legged.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain."

I raised my eyebrows. She gave me a loopy grin. "Poseidon. Sea. Seaweed. Lack of brain."

Ah. Nice.

"You're being strange," she continued, staring at the far off trees.

"Yeah."

"Is it 'cause I lied to you?"

I shook my head. She smiled a small smile, registering that I knew she lied. "Why then?"

I squinted into the distance. _Why_. What an annoyingly persistent question.

"Why're we on this trip?"

Her lips twitched but she didn't smile. Slowly, her face became less and less light/happy and I realized she might really tell me.

"Do you really want to know?"

I stared at her, straight in the eye, projecting how much I just wanted to _truth_ for once, honestly.

She understood.

So, she got up, brushed off her knees and held out a hand. "Get up and keep walking. I'll explain."

And, so, I took her small but mighty hand and got off the ground. We started walking again, but this time closer to each other; more in the middle of the road.

And before we even started talking I realized something.

I think I just became friends with Annabeth Chase.

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**Yaaay! Their friends now! *does happy dance***

**Are you guys starting to see Percy's transition from Bad-Boy to Nice-Real-Percy-Boy?**

**I told ya it wouldn't be OOC for too long. Just long enough to keep it interesting.**

**Anyway, comment and review and all that shiz! Tell me what you want, what you don't want, etc.**

**Thanks for reading. Really.**

**Sending you a BIG HUG for reading. :)**

**- S.**


	11. Water Revelation & Appearance Revelation

**So, I know you probably HATE me, 'cause ya know, a month and a half? I mean, seriously, Me? Seriously? **

**What was I thinking? X_X**

**Anywho. Here's more of our journey into Percabethy. **

**Enjoy!**

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_**Chapter Eleven: Water Revelation & Appearance **_**_Revelation_**

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Percy's POV:

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We were walking down that deserted road for what felt like _hours_ before Annabeth spoke.

At first it didn't make sense.

"Do you want kids, Percy?" she asked.

I kind of gaped at her in shock before I said; "Um…I've never really thought about it. Probably, down the line, I'll get around to having one or two."

She snorted in a yeah-that-sounds-like-you-way, but the snort dissolved into the same heavy quiet. Annabeth was picking her words carefully. She was tasting each one on her tongue, to see if it felt right.

For some reason, I think she was doing the same thing to my answers. The idea made me feel self-conscious and a little stupefied.

"What about you?" I asked, watching her reaction attentively.

She shrugged. It was obvious she wasn't making this about herself…something that was really interesting. Most girls I knew…they would turn just about everything into an issue about them. Usually, with them as the victim.

Annabeth, though, she didn't do that. She didn't even include herself into what she was saying.

"I don't think the gods mean to have us. I mean, as children. Demigods…I mean, seriously. Even they know that's a recipe for disaster. But, they _do_ have us sometimes, and…well, they probably get attached. They must harbor some kind of love for us because…well…they made us."

I nodded, but not fully understand where she was going with this.

"We're kids of gods. Two totally different gods. I even think that they hate each other. But they're working together…"

"They hate each other?" I asked mildly, not really surprised though. Athena and Poseidon…there was just something in the way they stood that made me think there was no lost love between the two.

Annabeth nodded, but her eyes didn't meet mine. She kept her gaze safely on the horizon and the yellow buttercup flowers blooming around us. It was about 4 o'clock in the day now, give or take a few half-hours.

"Aphrodite had a kid."

Okay. Now I was really lost. I thought we were talking about my dad and her mom.

"Our parents accidently murdered him."

Oh.

That…made sense. In a horrible way, that made so much sense.

Aphrodite's anger. Going to New York to ask for forgiveness. The quite apparent curses we'd both been given.

"Oh."

Annabeth didn't say anything after that. She just walked beside me, stopping only once; to pluck a buttercup up and out of the ground and to gently stroke its bright yellow, honey-colored petals as we walked.

We'd finally decided to stop nearby the bridge over to Manhattan. We had talked about getting some kind of form of transportation after that. But, for right now, I sat on a log, watching Annabeth sit on a log across from me.

Her eyes shined, like fierce grey storms, in the firelight. She had this ethereal quality about her, no matter how…not-literally-good-looking her face was.

Her eyes, especially. She had really pretty eyes.

"What?"

Oh no. I didn't—

"What?" I snapped my head up, eyes wide and fearful.

I knew exactly what had just happened.

Stupid brain-mouth filter. Malfunctioning piece of shit.

Annabeth arched an eyebrow at me. "You said something."

Since she looked slightly bemused, slightly angry, slightly disgusted and slightly scared, I assumed she'd figured half of what I'd said.

"You know what I said," I mumbled, hiding my eyes, kicking around something with my foot.

Annabeth wasn't bemused anymore. In fact, she looked kind of like she was staring at a particularly strange bacteria or something.

I gritted my teeth. I wasn't going to confirm it. It had been a slip of tongue! No point in repetition.

Annabeth continued to stare at me like I was mold.

"Fine!" I burst. "You have nice eyes!"

Annabeth looked at me like I was crazy.

"Is that what you said?"

I was giving her the crazy look now. "What else would I have been saying?"

She blushed a little, then. It was kinda cute.

_Percy. No. Stop this train of thought while its starts!_ shouted Smart-Part-Of-My-Brain.

"I thought you said I want new shoes."

I continued to give her the are-you-sure-you're-not-supposed-to-be-in-a-mental-institution? look. When she gave me a small grin, I couldn't help it.

I laughed. She laughed a little back.

That made me stop laughing.

Because…it took me off guard.

Annabeth's laugh was too pretty. How could it be that pretty?

I didn't really care. I just wanted to hear it again.

And again. And then maybe a few hundred more times on top of that?

.._.t__his can't be healthy._

We went to sleep a few minutes after that. I awoke the next day, after Annabeth, as usual. She was, as per every day, AWOL. I had gotten used to this, so, I just grunted and began getting up.

As I grunted, I realized how thirsty I was. Lately, food had been zapped to us, magically. It was funny, knowing that there was a god somewhere _caring_, instead of being in their usual, natural self-absorbed nature.

But I was so hungry, I just squinted until I found the food and then proceeded to shove it in chunks into my mouth, knowing that chewing was for amateurs.

After shoving the food, which I, by the way, didn't realize was bread and jam until I thought to look down and see what was left of the jar of strawberry jam and crust of the bread.

What can I say? To me, food is a necessity, not a luxury. I don't _taste_ or _flavor_ like the pussy men of the world do; I _eat_ and I eat like a man.

_So, so full of testosterone_, muttered the voice a corner of my mind.

I snorted to myself as I stood, brushing the crumbs off of my jeans, and thought just how testosterone-y I could really be.

Now that I had finished the daily ritual of grab-shove-and-swallow, I didn't really have much to do. Thinking about it, and taking a slight sniff of myself, I realized I was in desperate need of a shower.

Sighing and looking around, I realized that I was surrounded by nothing but some forest and a very-much-in-sight ocean. I wasn't a prude but I wasn't about to strip on the beach.

So, I kept looking around, hoping to see something secluded and with water. I finally spotted it after a few moments; in a patch of wood, lots of cover and I could hear the distinct sound of a small stream. And, for now, that would do.

About ten minutes later, I was near the stream, the sounds of water loud now. I had been checking around for people, but, so far, I had got nil.

Thinking of people, I thought of Annabeth and wondered where she was. She might go a little nuts when she sees I'm not there, but I wasn't too worried. I mean, it was Annabeth. She goes a little nuts about everything.

Stream in sight, I began pulling off my shirt. I managed to rid myself of all my clothes and, then, standing there in my birthday suit, I didn't really remember to think that the water would be freezing cold. But, steeling my resolve, I went in.

I was shocked.

I stood there, in the water, submerged up 'til my hips, but there wasn't an ounce of water on me. I was dry…as I stood in water. Scratching my head and splashing around the water, trying to get my skin wet, I realized something.

The water was doing what I wanted.

I was scared of soaking in water so cold it'd give me pneumonia = the water doesn't soak my skin at all. Yeah, it cleans off the dirt and stuff, but it doesn't actually get _me_ wet. It was when I splashed around, trying to get wet, that I made a mistake.

I got the water to soak me.

So, now, here I stand, naked and freezing, trying to get dry.

I was jumping out of the water, away from it, when I realized that it had, again, done what I'd wanted. I was dry again; with nothing but the goose bumps on my skin and a memory in my brain to remind me that I had ever been wet.

I wondered exactly what was going on here.

Stepping back into the stream, tentatively, I finally figured it out.

Water. Posedion. God. Son of God.

_Me._

Ah.

Well. It all made a lot more sense now. I had, probably and apparently, gotten some kind of hand-me-down genetic power from Dad and was now blessed with the ability to control water.

I wonder how literally I can take that.

A little excited, I eyed up a passing wave. In my mind, I imagined it rolling backward on itself and becoming a swirling, spiraling delicacy in the air. I reached out and gently touched the water.

I felt kind of stupid doing it.

But that stupid feeling evaporated when I watched the water do exactly what I imagined.

It was…surreal.

And addicting.

That's why it was nearly 2 hours later before I left that stream. The water entertained me. It made me happy, sitting there, like I had no worries at all.

So, I sat there. I told myself I could give myself another minute or so. Counting the total minutes I had "given" myself, it totaled up to about 120.

Not part of my leave-to-get-clean-and-come-back-ASAP-otherwise-Annabeth-will-kill-me plan.

But, honestly? It was very worth it.

And, when I had put my clothes back on and was running back to where Annabeth was supposed to be, I didn't just see Annabeth.

I saw about 20 people, every single one of them surrounding Annabeth.

And, then, before I could even ask what was going on or before anyone even noticed me, I heard her; Aphrodite.

"I can lift it now, Annabeth. But just, keep on the makeup just in case."

I, on instinct, decided to stay hidden. Remembering for a split second that gods could hear thoughts, I made my mind as clean, empty, small, whatever as possible. And then I watched.

"I don't know if I want this." Annabeth's voice was timid and unsure; so unlike her true one.

"Don't worry about it. I can get most of it off you; the killing part for sure. Just relax and try not to move. Oh, but the no one knowing part stays intact though. It won't _kill_ you if someone sees, but…let's just say, it won't be pretty."

"You have no idea what'll happen, do you?" Annabeth sounded slightly amused.

Aphrodite, by her expression, looked relieved she wasn't angry. "No clue."

"It's alright," sighed Annabeth, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath before she opened them again; this time holding a determined look of strength in them.

"It's baby steps, you know?"

Annabeth nodded but looked like she really wasn't listening anymore.

I, on the other hand, was still listening with great attention. I didn't understand anything. I didn't understand what Aphrodite meant about the killing part or no one knowing part or the happening part. I was lost.

I realized feeling was seeping into my thoughts; something that would, probably, stop Aphrodite from doing what she was doing.

But, by now, Aphrodite's beautiful face had become serene but, somehow at the same time, contorted in concentration. She was too far gone to hear his thoughts. Or to feel them.

And then the transformation began.

I couldn't think. Or breathe. Or feel. Or think.

All I could do at that moment was watch.

I watched as Annabeth, in an angelic fashion, was pulled up and held in the air, barely three centimeters off the ground, but still, hovering. The air was thickening and her hair was blowing a little. Her eyes were closed.

And then, she started coming apart.

I should've screamed, but it got stuck in my throat. I watched as what I thought was some weird version of dandruff fell from her hair. The wind or whatever had been picking up, so pieces flew at me. I was disgusted at first, but then I felt the small bits.

It was _Play Dough_. Like the stuff I used to play with in kindergarten.

I was confused. Why would she put play dough in her hair? I didn't have time to answer, because now, Annabeth's previously thin and greasy-looking hair was being released. Drops of oil fell to the ground, forming a puddle, and even from where I stood I could smell their manufactured scent.

_Fake oil in her hair, too_, I thought._ Why would she do that?_

Her blond hair was now clean, I think. It was so…pretty. Thick and shiny and like a princess'. I wondered how soft it would be, how it would feel between my fingertips.

Then her face started coming apart. This time, I was prepared. I watched, without thought, as make was smeared off her face by an invisible force and as fake zit masks were pulled off her skin. It was gross, but every new glimpse of her, every new concoction of fakeness was more intriguing than the last.

By the time her face was clean, I felt like I was staring up at an angel. A real, true, honest-to-god angel.

She was more beautiful than Aphrodite.

And she had been hiding it behind fake Halloween makeup and Play Dough.

It made no sense.

But, still, I couldn't tear my eyes from the scene. I watched every curve, every beautiful part of Annabeth's body reveal itself.

By the end, all I could think was:

"_She can't be real."_

It was because she was beautiful. So, incredibly, surreally beautiful. Her skin held the glow of a sunset; warm. Her face looked carved in the right places and softened in the right ones, too; like a sculpture of an angel, made by one of those big Renaissance painters.

And her body? Her body was…beyond sexy. Beyond beautiful. It was a _work of art_.

All I could think was; _why was she hiding this?_

I got my answer a few moments later, when the transformation stopped and she came back down to earth (literally and, I think, mentally, too).

I hadn't looked at Aphordite for a while, but when I glanced at her now, I saw her eyes on Annabeth's form, intent and…angry.

Anger.

_Anger._

Aphrodite had known I was here the whole time. Aphrodite had trapped her. Aphrodite had never differed her plan.

She had just changed it. Changed it to _murder_.

My eyes found Annabeth's now.

When she opened them, her eyes weren't so strong.

They were of a woman burning at the stake. Brilliant grey eyes that were being burned inside out.

Flames sprung from the ground and began licking and scarring her beautiful skin.

And, then, Annabeth started screaming.

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**Intense cliffhanger! **

**Don't kill me! Please! You're probably thinking "_man she sucks because even if she SAYS she'll update soon, she probably won't."_ **

**I will! I will!**

**...**

**Okay. Maybe I won't. But I promise you, I will try!**

**Review are muchos appreciated. Now, go on! Press the tempting little button and share your opinion! **

**You know you love doing it. ;-) But it's okay, I am also guilty-as-charged.**

**:-P**

**Love;**

**- S.**


	12. Fire & Water

**I updated today! **

**I was feeling guilty for the major cliffy. **

**Enjoy the tidbit of luck y'all got. ;-D**

**Here's more of the story!**

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_**Chapter Twelve: Fire & Water

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Annabeth's POV:

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She told me she'd fix it.

She told me that it wasn't completely done, but that part of the curse would be lifted.

I had believed her.

Biggest mistake of my life.

Aphrodite was deranged. She was dead-set, stubborn, for revenge. She wouldn't stop until we were dead. She wouldn't stop until our parents had truly felt what she had.

It was too bad she didn't realize how little we meant to them. Percy and I, that is.

I had been lifted into the hair and had felt everything peel off me, and, standing there, exposed for once, I felt good.

Like…elated. Vulnerable, but in a beautiful way.

It was when I opened my eyes, that feeling of elation/happiness/beauty ended.

First, I saw Aphrodite, bringing me back down to the ground. I saw her face. She wasn't just happy or had the sweet look I had been fooled by a few moments before.

No, she was _pleased_. She looked like the cat who had caught hundred of canaries.

It set me off because it was…scary. The look on her face, of pure satisfaction and an edge of anger/insanity, made me want to grit my teeth and fight as well as run, screaming. It was..._evil_.

But, then, all thought was erased from my mind. All thought was erased with pure, unadultered _pain_.

I felt like I was being torched alive. Like someone had held white-hot flames on my skin and kept pushing them down until it felt like I no longer had any skin, that it had all been ripped off by the heat.

I started screaming. Screams that were loud and frightening. The type of screams that would make you want to hide and cover you're children's ears.

I didn't even remember where I was or who I was or what was happening. All I knew was that I needed to get away from this pain.

So, I kept on screaming. Screaming for help, for mercy, for someone.

Someone…well. It seemed my subconscious mind had someone in specific.

_"PERCY."_

I was sobbing now. Loud, bloody sobs that raked my whole body. The fire was all-consuming; it didn't leave space to breathe, space to think.

I was approaching the edge, I think. The pain was starting to burn hotter, if that were possible and my screams grew louder and louder until, suddenly, they stopped.

I stopped.

My heart beats…faltered.

I fell to the ground.

And, then, just before I fell into the black abyss that was Death…

The flames were gone.

The pain was gone.

Coolness spread over my body, soaking me from head to toe.

I don't know what it was.

The coolness is still spreading.

Its bringing my heart beat back, stronger and faster, racing and racing, like the organ knew; knew that now was its chance to keep going to win against the fire.

I felt something pick me up. The coolness was at maximum power now, I shiver once, violently, letting it run through me, cold and refreshing.

My sense were starting to come back...I could feel. Something was holding me. I wasn't on the ground, I think.

The air was thick. A little smokey, and smelt bad. I whimpered.

The thing that was holding me was cool and hard. I touched it again and felt refreshed when I did.

I pushed as much of my skin as I could against it, not thinking, burying my face into it.

Slowly, thoughts were flooding back into my, but with a static-like quality. Like the memory of the pain come and going, interrupting them.

First came; _where am I?_

Then, _am I okay?_

Then, _What's this thing? _(Directed to the chilled body that I was clutching).

Then…I remembered.

Aphrodite. Pain. Curse.

Whoever this was, they had seen me. The _real_ me. They could probably still see me. I wondered why if that was why I had been burnt alive. It probably was.

I opened my eyes.

Percy stared down at me, eyes wide with worry and his very pretty face twisted in…sadness I think.

When he stared back into my eyes, air left his lung in a whoosh and onto my face. His breath was kind of minty, like he had brushed his teeth recently.

I stared up at him, still clutching onto him.

_He _was the coolness.

I wondered how. Then it came to me. Posedion. Water. Demigod. Fire vs. Water.

It made sense.

Sense didn't really matter though. Apparently pride didn't either because I just moved closer to Percy, holding onto him and pressing my cheek against his wonderfully cool neck.

Percy didn't say anything. I was glad. As I was regaining all my sense, I realized my head had started to pound. I felt dizzy.

Moaning a little and adjusting in his arms to get a hand to my forehead, I massaged it. That felt better.

Percy, still looking down at me, swatted my hand away and massaged my forehead for me. I made a sound of happiness and let him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I think I saw him grin briefly.

After a few more minutes of staying like that, I snapped out of it.

"Oh my gods!"

I jumped out of Percy's arms, startling him.

I looked down at myself.

I wasn't wearing any fake make up.

And Percy was still looking at me.

Why wasn't I burning alive again?

I kept looking down at myself and up at Percy.

Still, nothing happen.

I noticed why and I screamed.

I was underwater with nothing but Percy and some seaweed nearby.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

When she started screaming, I had frozen.

Her screams ripped any armor I had ever had around my heart and pierced me.

It was when she screamed my name that I found myself racing towards her.

She looked horrible in her beauty. Her eyes weren't focused, just darting around, her body was curling into fetal position as she stood.

And her skin…her skin was cover with red-white flames.

I didn't even think about it. I just grabbed her.

The flames were burning. The skin on my body that touched her, it felt like it had been charred right off; like someone had put me in the middle of a fireplace and left me there. I wanted to scream, but I kept my lips shut and kept holding on.

_Water. I need water_.

And water came, straight from the ground, like a huge geyser.

It soaked her and the screaming lessened.

_Water is good_. _More. Must find more_.

The ocean.

I swiveled my head, in the direction of the ocean. Taking a sobbing Annabeth in my arms, I started running to the beach. The water carried me fast, pushing me.

By the time I had gotten to the beach, the water was faltering.

I flung us into the water, without any thought of breath or anything else.

I would think later.

We were submerged.

I sighed in relief.

Then, I remembered not everyone could breathe underwater. I thought and then it came to me.

_Air bubble_.

I made one, carefully, around her head, so that, when she woke, Annabeth would be able to speak.

Which she probably would.

I sighed and kept my eyes on her. Annabeth looked better now. Her skin was red, angry and still hot to my touch, but she wasn't being burnt alive anymore.

That was good enough for now.

I kept her in my arms for a while. Especially when she started responding, whimpering and holding me closer. I couldn't help but holder her closer, too. She'd been nice to me lately…even, become my _friend_…she didn't deserve, wouldn't ever deserve, that pain. I wondered how hot it had been for her, if it had been so extreme for me.

I shudder at the thought.

Annabeth had buried her face into my neck now. I had the urge to kiss her shoulder, which was in my lips line of fire. I held back. She would've decked me if I kissed her anywhere.

I grinned slightly at that.

Annabeth's eyes were fluttering now. Her face, I noticed, was still just as beautiful as it was before the fire, but now, it was rough and angry in some place, like the inside of her elbow and the corner of her neck.

But, still, she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

Her eyes were open now. The bright grey color of her eyes was there, but they were slightly bloodshot and puffy; probably from the tears. I stared down at her, worried when she didn't speak. She just stared at me and I stared back. Then, she just proceeded to hold me again and I did the same.

It was only a few minutes later, that she surprised me.

"Oh my gods!"

She had catapulted out of my arms and left me feeling like she had taken a piece of me with her.

After I got over the initial shock, I eyed her curiously. I wondered why I had never seen it; the beauty she hid.

Then she screamed.

I jumped, and my eyes immediately began searching for any threat. Then, a thought dawned on me:

What if she would still feel the pain?

Thankfully, neither thought came out as true.

She was just weirded out about being underwater.

"Jackson!" she yelled, but then ended by coughing and clutching her throat. The burning had hurt her vocal chords. She croaked now; "What in _Hades_ am I doing underwater? What am I doing _breathing_ underwater?"

I moved towards her, reaching out, but she retracted. I moved back, almost holding my hands up in surrender.

She eyed me from the distance, looking very much like _she_ was the prey and I was the predator.

I stayed back, but began explaining; taking her attention from her ogling me to the matter at hand.

"You're underwater because I brought you here. You'll be able to breathe with the air bubble. And you're here because it's the only thing that made you stop burning." I said each word slowly and carefully, measuring my words and watching her reaction to each one.

She looked kind of sheepish and embarrassed. She nodded but had a slightly blush on her cheeks.

I knew why. Annabeth didn't seem like the type to like taking help from anyone. But despite that, I could feel that she was relieved and thankful. I gave her a small smile that I tried to make communicate that I was glad to have been able to save her.

She sighed now and looked up and around. "Where do we go from here? If you or anyone ever looks at me above water ever again, I won't survive."

She said that so simply, stated her demise so simply, it made my heart pang a little. Shouldn't she be crying, like a normal girl would? In shock?

Well. She _was_ Annabeth, after all.

I answered her: "Then you won't leave the water."

Annabeth rolled her eyes at me, infuriatingly superior once again. "I'm going to have to go up sometime."

I stared at her full in the eye. In a firm voice I said, "Not for a while."

Annabeth gave me a scathing look. "What do you suggest we do in the meantime? Eat crabs and stay _here,"_ she gestured to the expanse of emptiness around us. I hadn't realized how far out I'd swam. "Forever?"

I shrugged. Annabeth's gaze was turning into a glare.

I sighed now. I looked at her for a moment then said, "Haven't you read of a place under that _I_ could go and where you could recover?"

Annabeth gave him a look. "I'm fine."

_Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn_.

I ignored her.

I just called Dad.

They were going to Atlantis.

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**Two cliffys in one week. Aren't you so proud? :'-)**

**Well, more adventures ahead. They're going to Atlantis! Is there even an Atlantis in Greek mythology? :-S **

**Idk. Whatever.**

**I don't know why, but I felt like this chapter wasn't so good. Kind of...flat. I'm sorry if it was to you also. :-(**

**Reviews are awesome! Wanna be more awesome than you already are for reading this? REVIEW!**

**Love;**

**- S.**


	13. Dolphins & Dads

**Hey, y'all!**

**I know. I've been mean and horrible and you hate me because I've updated like twenty billion years too late. **

**But, please, accept my apology. I doth love thou. You art my life.**

**Please, read on and hopefully, enjoy!**

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_**Chapter Thirteen: Dolphins & Dads**_

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Percy's POV:

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Okay. So, I hadn't really thought this through.

Poseidon, you know, my _dad_, apparently doesn't have time to answer his son's messages.

Okay, fine! So, maybe they were via these really stupid fish that probably died halfway to Atlantis, but still.

_Where was your water-god of a father when you needed him?_

But I don't think I deserve the treatment I've been getting from _some_ people. I mean, I get it okay? She's all Independent Woman and shit and I'm ruining her vibe with my Heterosexual Manliness. But, can you blame a guy for trying to be nice?

I mean, seriously, she's yelling at me for _looking_ at her, too. She's hot now! What does she expect me to do? Look at the crabs? They're not as attractive as her!

Gods. My mind feels like whale blubber. I really need to get some sleep. And away from my wonderful, not-annoying-at-all companion.

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "Percy, are you even listening to me? Get me out of the water, gods damn it!"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Annabeth, just wait a minute, okay? Dad'll probably send someone any minute now."

"Really?" Annabeth's face was turning a little red. Surprisingly, instead of making her look like a tomato, it made her look…cute. "Weren't these last _180 minutes_ enough for your precious father to send someone?"

I felt a twinge of irritation then. "Annabeth, don't bring my father into this. Relax. And stop yelling, for fuck's sake."

Annabeth just turns a deeper shade of red.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do, Jackson," she spat. "Get me out of the water!"

The twinge increased. "Annabeth," I warned. "Just stop. You're not getting out of the water."

"Screw you!" she yelled. "I'm leaving! Screw you and your stupid marine heritage! I don't need this kind of crap!"

And then she began awkwardly trying to paddle away.

Gracefully and quickly, I swam in front of her, blocking her path.

"You think you can out-swim me?" I smirked.

Annabeth is starting to look like a tomato now.

"Fuck. You. Jackson." She shoved me out of her way and continued her way up.

I catch her ankle and tug her down. She can't weigh more than a potatosack, she's that easy to yank.

But, obviously Annabeth doesn't appreciate the yanking.

"What the hell was that? You are not allowed to man-handle me, you obnoxious little—"

"Enough," I yelled. "I'm sick of you complaining and yelling! This is ridiculous! I'm fucking saving you here! You want to go up on land and roast alive? Go ahead then! Go DIE. I tried. I'm _trying_, gods damn it, to save you from that, but you're being a raging _bitch_ about it."

When I finished, I was breathing heavily and my eyes were locked with a now still Annabeth's. She looks frightened.

_Of me_.

"Okay, look," I sighed, "I didn't mean to yell. You're just really fucking pissing me off."

Annabeth's eyes flashed, but she didn't speak. She just stared at me, with those big gray eyes and that perfect, angelic face.

Finally, she broke. She managed to sigh and mutter: "Yeah, well, I'm being stupid."

Awkward silence was in the air— or water, in our case— for a couple of moments. I didn't know where to look.

"So," Annabeth said, her voice much weaker and more timid than before. "How about we, uh, do something?"

I would never understand girls.

How was it that, now, she was magically in a different mood, ready to cooperate and everything, when barely five minutes before, she'd been ready to rip my head off if I didn't let her commit, what was basically, suicide?

I just gaped at her, dumbfounded for a second. But then, in the fear of her switching moods and deciding she wanted to tear me a new one for staring at her, I quickly agreed.

"How about we just…swim? For a while at least. We can probably find some dolphin that would led us from there because," my tone got a little edgier, "my father obviously has no time for us."

Annabeth gave me a curious look before just shrugging. "You're the boss. Which way?"

I nodded and began swimming straight to east, knowing to head deeper into the Atlantic to find Atlantis.

It was a full minute before I realized Annabeth seriously sucked at swimming. She was slower than a sea sloth.

"Annabeth?" I finally had the courage to say. _Please god, don't let her rip my man-jewels_ _off_.

Obviously, she was irritated by her lack of ability underwater, 'cause she snapped. "What?"

"Uh…do you think, maybe, I could help you?" I suggested meekly. "You know, so we can hurry up."

Annabeth glowered, embarrassed, her cheeks turning pink. "I'm fine. Just, go ahead or whatever."

I raised my eyebrows. "I'm not leaving you."

The statement came out sounding a lot more dramatic than I'd meant.

"Oooo-kay," Annabeth looked a little uncomfortable.

I felt more than a little uncomfortable.

_What is wrong with me? I'm usually smooth around girls. Why am I suddenly acting like an awkward twelve-year old?_

Annabeth, I knew, was the answer to that question. Weirdly, it seemed Annabeth was the answer to a lot of my questions lately. Like, my who's-the-most-mysterious-girl-in-the-world? Question. Oh, yeah, that's Annabeth.

And, the who's-the-most-surprising-girl-in-the-world question?Also, Annabeth. That was settled when she'd become my…er…friend a few days back (I think).

But, most recently, and the question that popped into my mind as I turned back when I was about fifteen feet ahead, and saw Annabeth paddling clumsily my way.

Who was the most beautiful girl in the world?

Because, at that moment, with the wisps of sunlight from above alighting the different colors of blonde in her hair and making her tan skin glow, her face holding the sunlight like no other and with her eyes closed so she couldn't see me staring at her like a creeper, I knew the answer as surely as I knew my name.

_Annabeth_.

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Annabeth's POV:

* * *

Of course he found out. And of course, now, he was staring at me, even if he thought I hadn't noticed.

I was trying to paddle my way through the Atlantic Ocean. I would focus on the antics of Percy I'm-Such-A-Frikking-Guy Jackson some other time.

But, even I couldn't kid myself. I was hurt.

Percy now knew. He know knew my deepest darkest secret— my beauty.

And he was acting exactly like I knew he would.

Suddenly, he liked me. Suddenly, I was special and noticeable and worthy of his attention.

_Well, screw that. And screw him._

I was hurt by this. I had higher expectation. But, alas, this journey we'd been on together had been blurring my vision. He was still Percy Jackson. He was still a player. Still a man-whore. And we still hated each other.

_Did we?_

Yes, I thought to myself. We hated each other with a passion. A fury. And that hadn't, _wouldn't_, change now that I was all publically beautiful and shiz.

_Okay, Annabeth. You go ahead and try and hate him when he looks at you with those eyes._

Those eyes. Oh, those freaking _hot_, jade-colored eyes that were so _fucking_ intense sometimes I felt—

_Hate. You hate him. Remember? Stop fantasizing about his eyes._

Yes. Must concentrate. Must not drown in the ocean.

I had half-considered Percy's offer to help me and hurry us up but I decided against it. I didn't want to touch him. Not at all. Not one bit.

_That's one time too many, bucko. Maybe you DO want to touch him…a little too much._

I did _not_ want to touch him.

God. My inner self needs a severe beating. Or she's already had one, because she's got brain damage.

"Hey, Annabeth?"

Percy's voice snaps me out of my inner monologue.

"Yeah?"

Percy's brows were furrowed. "You stopped. Look, just let me take you the rest of the way. I got wind of some dolphins a few beats west. You can ride them the rest of the way, okay?"

I felt a blush creep over me at the double meaning I heard, but I forced it down. I appraised Percy with my eyes. He wasn't shirtless, but his black t-shirt was glued to him, leaving little to the imagination. And he was wearing black board shorts.

_He looks…_

Not finishing that sentence. Not finishing it. Not. Finishing. It.

Gods, what had happened to me?

I gulped. "Okay."

Percy looked at me like he couldn't quite believe I'd actually said yes. "Okay," he said back.

Awkwardness again.

"Umm. So, how do you want to do this?"

_He's probably heard that so many times, from some many girls._

Percy shrugged. He held out a hand.

A really pretty, really big, weirdly pale hand.

I took it.

Percy pulled me to him, closer and closer, until I bumped into him. I felt that blush I had pushed down earlier, come back with avengence.

Percy looked amused. "You're blushing."

I glared at him. "No, I'm not, dofus. Can you just drive or whatever?"

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Do I look like to a car to you?"

I gave him a very sweetly sarcastic smile. "No, but I'm riding you, aren't I?"

Percy gaped at me. Hades, I wanted to gape at me.

_Did I really just make a sexual implication that involved myself and Jackson?_

Apparently I had. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or run away.

Percy did none though. He just gracefully twisted and looped my arm around his neck.

We speed off, after that, no sound in the air but Percy's breathing and the occasional push-pull of the waves.

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Percy's POV:

* * *

Annabeth Chase just insinuated that she'd been riding me.

Annabeth Chase just made a sexual remark.

One that involved me.

And her.

_I think I'm in shock_.

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Annabeth's POV:

* * *

Riding Percy is an experience, alright.

_Gods. Does thinking that make me one of his fan girls?_

I hoped not.

But, anyway, Percy swam like a fish, to say the least. It was probably easier than walking for him. And he pulled me along like I weighed nothing, so it was all good, I guess.

Except what being in such close proximity to him did to me.

Percy was very…hard. His back was obviously very muscular and that was all great, except everytime I'd feel a muscle contract or anytime of movement of his body beneath mine, I was assaulted by unclean, really, really bad thoughts. Unspeakable thoughts. Un_think_able thoughts. Also, I had the uncommon urge to swear and yell and scream at person.

The two things just didn't match.

I guess it just showed how unhinged being so close to him made me.

So, when we finally found a dolphin to guide us to Atlantis, I was glad. I reached for the dolphin, which was actually really cute, who was named Rolph, and clutched onto him for dear life as we speed further into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

While we traveled, I wonder why I wasn't cold. Also, I wondered why my lungs weren't busting right about now.

_Percy probably did some water-demigod voodoo on them._

It was likely. He had, of course, provided the nice little head-air-bubble that was allowing me to breathe.

The sea was darkening now, the blue turning almost black and any light disappearing, leaving me blind. I clutched Rolph tighter.

But my focus on staying on Rolph evaporated when, In front of me, I was met by a sight that was nothing short of stunning.

Nestled into the ridges and holes of underwater mountain range of the Atlantic, was Atlantis.

It was beautiful, glowing light and I could see little figures scurrying around from my distant. It was big, too, not just one big castle; but instead, multiple caverns and small rock-houses decorated by colorful fish and plants blending in by looking like a very large sea reef. If it weren't for the light it radiating in the midst of this darkness, I _would_ have thought it was a reef.

As we got closer, it got more beautiful. The colors brightened; blues, greens, yellows, oranges, pinks. Fish and plants alike were vivid here and very visible. But, surprisingly, the fish weren't frightened. Instead, they were quite friendly and calm. It was surreal.

"It's beautiful," I rasped, suddenly.

Percy glanced at me. We hadn't spoken since the whole Annabeth-makes-a-sexual-comment thing.

His gaze was surprisingly emotionless. He looked like he didn't care.

But, then he said; "Yeah. It's fine."

The end of his voice cracked and I could tell something was wrong. Percy didn't like being here. Percy obviously had some kind of problem with his father, too. I wondered back to Percy sending out a message to his dad, and getting no response in return. Instead, we'd had to travel at least forty or fifty miles into the ocean; probably more.

It just went to show; gods didn't care. It didn't matter if you were their kids or not; they were selfish and worked on their own schedules. Didn't matter if your son and archenemy's daughter were stranded. No. You would do something about them after getting down your own petty tasks.

We approached Atlantis now. We were close enough to be going over some of the more rural-y settlements. I look around and saw merepeople.

Hundred of scantily-clad merepeople.

It was weird at first, seeing people with shiny, scaly tails instead of legs. But soon enough, I felt interested. Intrigued. The merepeople were charming, I had heard. I wondered if they had existed as long as the gods. Longer? Question poured from me. I put them aside for another time.

We had finally arrived at our destination. Rolph bumped me off of his back, obviously sick of me, but then gave me a smacking kiss on the cheek before zipping off with his mate. I grinned.

Percy, who watched our display with his same unreadable, dead eyes, said; "You done now?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah."

Percy nodded and began swimming. In the center of Atlantis, a single stone tower stood. It was huge and thick and probably housed more than fifty people. Patches of colorful sponge and coral decorated and even some seaweed completed the picture. Through the small windows, I saw merepeople milling around, speaking, swimming and obviously just following their daily routines.

Ahead of me, I heard Percy call.

"Annabeth!"

I turned to him, snapping out of my staring. He waved me over.

I went over as quickly as I could. Percy explained there.

"This is my dad's place. His wife, Amphitrite and their son Tritan, live here, too. It's gonna be weird. So, I'm just warning you. Oh and he'll want to know the whole story. Be prepared for that, too, kay?"

I nodded. My eyes stayed on Percy's. "What about you?"

Percy looked bewildered. "What about me?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. You just seem edgy."

Percy's jaw tightened but he made no comeback. We just floated there for a moment.

Finally, Percy said. "Let's just go inside."

So, we went.

And, of course, our stay at Poseidon's palace was…eventful, to say the least.

* * *

**Well, that's all for today, folks! More than 2000 words. Hope that makes up for being so late. I really do love you and all your support. I'm going to make more of an effort, I swear. I was just lost as to where to take the story next.**

**But I have direction now. And you will be hearing from me soon. **

**Lots of love and please try and leave a review. I would adore you, I swear.**

**- S.**


	14. Fights & Flights

_Disclaimer:_(Do I really have to do these? Someone sent me a PM saying so, so here I am)

_I do not own Percy Jackson or any of these characters. I only own the plot. And a pair of yellow pants._

* * *

**Anyway. I'm baaaack.**

**Yes, this was quick.**

**Yes, I'm happy, too.**

**Yes, my writing block is over.**

**And, yes, I'm going to say 'enjoy'!**

**:-P**

* * *

_**Chapter Fourteen: Fights & Flights**_

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Percy's POV:

* * *

I am a sick bastard.

_Seriously._

Okay, so I hadn't had sex in…a while. This little trip with Annabeth has been my cleansing session.

But, when I reached the front passage to enter Dad's palace, there are girls there. Lots and lots of them.

Girls with tails, but that wasn't really relevant.

And there they were, giggling and batting their eyelashes at me.

I stared at them for a moment. I had been in shock for a minute: _girls_. Nice, pretty girls.

Who were giggling at me.

I remember situations like this from school. I remember the lazy smiles I pass them. The easy way I managed to reel one in.

_You're going to be reeling in more than just a nice body with these mermaids, man. They have _tails_. They cannot have _sex_. You need to cool your jets._

Cool my jets. Yeah.

But still, as I turned away, blinking a little, I couldn't help the desire that pooled in my body, the ache to touch soft skin and kiss an open mouth.

I felt like this until I felt a whack on the back of my head.

I yelped and rubbed the now sore spot. A very irritated looking Annabeth stood behind me.

"What was that for?" I groaned.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and very pointedly looked at the mermaids still giggling at me as they swam by.

"I thought we were here to fix me," she said, her eyebrow raising. "Not for you to hit on fish-girls."

I shrugged. "I could get laid simultaneously."

Annabeth just glared and then pushed past me. I suddenly felt kind of bad for being so crass. I followed after her.

"But yeah," I said. "We are here to make Dad do something about your little…problem."

Annabeth shook her head and laughed. Her hair still managed to shimmer, even thousands of feet deep in the ocean, with no sunlight nearby. It's like she had a light _inside_ of her that made her eyes and hair twinkle.

_God, you sound like such a pussy._

"Your father won't do anything." Annabeth sounded sure.

I felt offended. "He might be a little bit of an ass sometimes, but he won't let you die."

Annabeth's eyes flashed, as if daring me to continue contradicting her. I found it very annoying. Who the fuck was she that I shouldn't argue with her?

"Your father," she sneered, "won't do anything. And you, you'll probably go run off and _get laid_ won't you? Gods, I should have just stayed on shore and burned alive."

I felt hurt now. Really hurt. "I'm not going to run off. And what the fuck? Are you trying to say you'd rather burn alive than take my help?"

Annabeth grinded her teeth together audibly. "No, I'm not trying to say that. Don't put words in my mouth."

I suddenly wanted to get away from Annabeth, badly. I realized; it didn't matter if she was pretty or ugly: she was a bitch.

"Whatever. Let's just get you better so we can get to New York. And back home, as soon as possible."

My tone may or may not have been snarky and slightly rude.

Annabeth stared at me, glowered more like it, before spinning around and swimming into the passage.

Two mermen in armor tried to stop her but she just pointed at me and slipped away and out of my sight.

Things, it seemed, had changed.

Or maybe, things were back to normal.

_I upset Annabeth, Annabeth acts like a bitch to me, and we hate each other._

That's the way things were.

I shouldn't care. I _didn't_ care.

But this feeling, deep in my tummy, made me feel bad. It made me want to hurl at the thought of ever upsetting Annabeth. It made me want to chase after her and explain and get things sorted out.

Instead, I just smooth swam past the guard, nodding, and made my way to Dad.

I wouldn't deal with Annabeth now.

I _couldn't_.

She was making me feel things I didn't want to.

And, even if I didn't want to admit this, my feelings had started scaring me.

And, honestly, they weren't even that bad. They actually felt…warm. Nice.

And that's probably what scared me most.

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

I expected it.

I did. I really did.

But it _still_ hurt.

How could he talk so easily about kissing a girl, sleeping with her, when here I was; unable to even confront the fact that I thought he was hot.

And, obviously, his distaste for me hadn't ended when my beauty was revealed. Sure, that was nice, because looks shouldn't matter…but my heart hurt. Maybe it was just me. Not this curse, not Aphrodite, not my looks.

_Maybe I'm just the reason that Percy hates me._

That was hard to face. Was I really that unlikeable?

I thought this over, this whole ordeal, as I made my way through the shaky stone hallways of Poseidon's palace. Percy was somewhere behind me; he would probably catch up later.

_He's probably off with one of those stupid mermaids_.

I didn't know why that bothered me. It shouldn't.

_It wouldn't._

Steeling my resolve, that I did not, in fact, care, I made my way down the hallway. A huge wooden door sat at the end of the hallway. It looked a thousand years old. I had a feeling that, behind this door, Poseidon stayed.

So, with my usual lack of any manner or grace when it concerned any relative of Percy's, I pushed the door open and entered.

Inside, there was a huge hall with a mosaic of broken shells as the flooring. There was no roof and the room was in the shape of a semi circle. Three thrones sat in the arc of the room, made of a solid, gray sponge-y rock. The biggest throne, in the center, was decorated beautifully with seaweed, flowering underwater vines and blue coral. The two on each side of the big center throne were plain and smaller than the center one.

And, there, in the big, decorative throne, sat Poseidon.

He was bigger now; probably 30 feet tall, to accommodate his gigantic chair. His curly black hair, that was the exact same shade as Percy's, was trimmed; as was his black beard and moustache. His stone-like feature were beautiful, of course, but had an inhuman sense to them. They were, however, just as angular as Percy's. And his eyes, his big jade eyes that were peering down at me, were so similar to Percy's that it was uncanny.

Beside him, the two thrones were empty. But, running in circles around him, were many merepeople.

"Annabeth Chase," he rumbled. "Who invited you here?"

I crossed my arms across my chest in defiance. Poseidon's palace was not my zone. I had never felt so out-of-place and uncomfortable. It probably had to do with my Athena genes.

"Your son," I said shortly. "He's around here, too. We've been trying to reach you, but you're a big man," I appraise his form with my eyes. "With busy days, I'd think."

Poseidon stares down at me, huge and inhuman, until it's like he's spinning in a blender. Then, pop. In front of me stood a normal sized sea god. I noticed he was wearing yellow board shorts with the pattern of little fish and a Greenpeace shirt. He finished the look with a fishing hat that was adorned with cute little buttons and such.

"I got your message," he mulled. "But I felt it wouldn't be proper to encourage a daughter of Athena to come to my home. Who knows. You could be here on a mission from your mother."

I raised my eyebrows. "I don't do missions. Especially from my mother."

Poseidon laughed, giving me a warm smile. "You're resemblance to her is uncanny."

"I was thinking the same thing about you and Percy, too. He acts like a conceited jerk sometimes, too."

Poseidon just laughed, patting my shoulder. "Let us sit," he said.

He waved a hand and two rickety chairs made of— what looked like— fish bones appeared.

I sat with the god of the sea. He leaned back and grinned, looking awfully at ease. I eyed him uneasily.

_Why doesn't he hate me?_

"Ah, Annabeth, I won't hold a grudge against you for who your mother is. You can't control that, the same way I can't control my eyes when I see a beautiful girl."

He winked.

Suddenly, I got it.

"You sick pervet!" I jumped out of my seat. "I'm SIXTEEN! You're hitting on me! How dare you!"

Poseidon just smiled at me. "You know, Aphrodite once told me of the beauty she gave you. I hadn't believed her when she said it rivaled her own. Obviously, I was wrong."

I gritted my teeth and starting to breathe heavily now; glaring forcefully at Poseidon. I wanted to attack the god.

"Don't even talk to me," I said through my teeth. "You're despicable. Almost as bad as your son," I snarled.

I saw the flash of pain on Poseidon's expression. "What? You won't own up? Tell me, _Poseidon_," I was really into it now. "What exactly is wrong with Percy? Why am I cursed with beauty and he's free to go? Did someone make a deal with a certain goddess of _love_?"

The room quieted now. I noticed that the merepeople had stopped what they were doing to stare at me and their lovely god.

Poseidon looked angry now. "Don't speak about what you don't know."

I cackled manically, my laughter echoing in the hall. "What I don't know? _What I don't know?_"

I felt stupid tears rise in my eyes. I want to yell at Poseidon; show him _exactly_ how much I knew. But I didn't do that.

I didn't want to be around Percy anymore.

Nor, did I want to be in Atlantis.

I didn't need this kind of crap.

So, what I did was I spin on my heel and run out of the room before Percy or Poseidon or anyone could see my tears.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

I had entered my father's throne room when he was in human form, sitting on a bunch of fish bones.

He smiled when he saw me. "Percy! What a nice surprise."

I didn't say anything. I didn't let any expression or thought escape my control.

"You didn't get my message?"

Poseidon waved his hand carelessly. "I did, but I wasn't about to provide transportation for my archenemy's daughter to come to _my_ home."

I raised my eyebrows. "We had something very important to talk about."

Dad looked interested. "Is that so?"

I nodded. _He would care and act when he heard the story_.

So, I told him. About Annabeth, about what Aphrodite did, about the fire, about everything. Dad listened, and hmmm'd and haww'd in the right places.

"So, yeah. Can you do anything so that she can survive on land?" I finally finished.

Poseidon just sat there, smiling at me. "Son, you told me nothing I didn't already know."

I furrowed my brows. "But you…you'd help."

"No, son," he shook his head. "I only help you. Or people I love. I cannot help Athena's daughter."

_He won't do anything._

Annabeth was right. He was a god. A selfish, conceited, stupid _god_.

"Can't or _won't_?" I snapped. I felt ashamed. Ashamed that I had such a father.

He shrugged.

I exploded. "What is wrong with you? She's hurt! She'll die if she goes on land! Why won't you even act like this is serious?"

Poseidon finally sobered. "Percy, I know this is serious. This is very serious. But I told you; I can't do anything. This is all Aphrodite's doing."

I wanted to hit something.

"Fine! _Fine_. Don't do anything. But at least tell me this: where is she?"

Poseidon raised his eyebrows. "Who?" he asked innocently.

I gritted my teeth in irritation. It was all an act. Always an act.

"_Annabeth_," I hissed.

Poseidon chuckled. "You know, I had thought you hated her, Percy. She's definitely beautiful, but I thought you had better taste."

Now I wanted to hit _him_.

"I do have better taste. I have better taste now. Annabeth is fine. She's better than _you_, at least," I fumed, shaking in fury. "Anyway. Where is she, _father?_"

He shrugged. "I don't know. My people tell me they saw her leaving the city."

My mouth felt dry.

She _left_. She left me.

She was gone.

"How," I was still now. Perfectly still. "did you let her leave?"

"Easy," he grinned. "She ran out the door; I didn't follow."

I just stared at him for a moment.

This wasn't my father.

He couldn't be.

He was horrible.

"I hate you," I said. My voice was calm and clear. "I hate you and I never want to see you again."

Poseidon's smiling slipped off his face like slime. "I'm your father."

"You're despicable. You're just like every other fucking god. So, you know what?" I met his gaze. "Stay the hell away from me. I'll never forget this. Never."

I left without another word.

* * *

**Ohhh. Drama, drama.**

**This is a very anti-god story. The gods were always played out as selfish and mean, so I'm just channeling that energy.**

**Anyway. Give me your reviews, pretty please with a Percy on top? ;-)**

**They do make me incredibly happy. Also, I have interesting things planned for the next few chappies.**

**Much love,**

**- S.**


	15. Shouting Matches & Speed Swimming

_Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of this series characters._

* * *

**Hi there, amigos.**

**My love for you grows each day. Here I am, again, providing you the food to quench your Perseus-Annabeth thirst.**

**Anywhoo! Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen: Shouting Matches & Speed Swimming**_

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

I wasn't sure where I was going.

All I knew was that my feet were pushing me through the water and that Atlantis was slipping away from under me; the colors of the underwater city getting farther and farther away. Around me, everything was getting darker.

The infinite expanse of the water was dark blue and empty. The silence was so profound it was creepy. I saw that the farther I got from Atlantis, the more isolate my surrounding became.

But did that deter me?

_Nope_.

I just kept swimming.

I thanked the gods for being surrounded by water; the tears streaking down my face weren't so noticeable. I couldn't help myself; they just kept pouring and pouring.

First, Percy screws me over for his fish friends and need for sex.

Then, Poseidon screws me over, telling me that he basically didn't care if I lived or died.

_What had you expected? Your own _mother_ doesn't care if you live or die_.

So, came the tears.

But, alone in the middle of the ocean, I _could_ cry. No one would notice or ask questions or bother me. I could cry and cry and cry and not feel guilty about it.

But that was exactly was made me cry. The fact that no one was there.

The fact that I was alone.

Again.

I breathed shakily in, and wondered what Percy was doing. Had he even noticed I was gone? Did he even care?

I wondered if it was just my stupidity that had led me to believe that maybe, just _maybe_, Percy and I had become friends.

Of course, a huge contributing factor to this friendship would probably be my beauty.

_Fucking shitty beauty_.

I hated it. Hated the fact that I was beautiful. What had it gotten me? Nothing. Fakeness, some eon-old gods hitting on me and no friends.

That's what this beauty had done to my life.

Anger surged through me now.

I swam harder, faster, farther away. I wanted escape. I wanted out of this crazy life.

And, almost immediately after I thought this, I spotted my way out.

My miracle in the shape of a teensy, underwater farm.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

I couldn't find her.

I was swimming faster than I ever had, like a torpedo shooting through the water, but I still couldn't find her.

Of course, there are many directions she could have gone and this being the Atlantic Ocean, which has an area of 41,100,000 square miles, there are many places she could be.

But, I had to find Annabeth.

_I _had _to._

So, I continued my search. I swam in the most likely direction; as fast as I could. Occasionally, I would see a glint of blonde and, thinking it was her, hope would jump in my heart. But usually it would end up being a gold coin or some mermaid.

_Well, if all else fails, I now have 3 dollars in sea money and the coordinates of some random mermaid._

It was a while before I slowed down and really thought. Annabeth was gone, my dad was a jackass and I was alone. Again.

_It was a fucking mess_.

In my slowed pace, I peered at my surroundings. Isolation. There was just water; everywhere.

My hearted thumped painfully at the possibilities at what could have happened to Annabeth by now. Shark mauling, kidnapping, death.

It all passed through my head and made me want to hurl.

But, then, out of the corner of my eye, I glance a sea farm.

What a sea farm is, is a tiny inhabitation of a lone couple of family or merepeople, who harvested seaweed and other grew other underwater foods. They were rare.

I wondered— maybe they had seen Annabeth pass by.

With that thought, the hope jumping around in my heart, I dove straight to the small red-stone house.

When I landed on the sea floor, I realized that this sea farm was actually really big and when I dived, I should have dived closer to the main house. Now, I had to trek a good mile or so through the tall seaweed; avoiding the piranhas that probably lurked nearby.

The trekking took about twenty minutes, and by the end, my arms and legs both ached; from the walking and the pushing of the seaweed.

I stood in front of the sea farm's main house and I couldn't help but think of how small it was, compared to the rest of the farm.

The building itself couldn't have had more than four rooms. It was made of huge reddish boulders that had been carved into big brick-like shapes. In front of me, there was one, small door made of old wooden planks. I could hear a few voices inside, the swishing of merepeoples' tails, the flurry of activity.

So, I sucked in a breath and put on my politeness armor. Then, I went up to the door and knocked very nicely.

The door opened after exactly 7 seconds— I was counting in my nervousness— and in front of me stood an older mermaid with a motherly face, her long red curly hair tied back into a ponytail and her tail a gentle olive green color. She had a gentle smile and eyes the exact same color as her tail.

"Hello," she smiled warmly. "Can I help you?"

Being struck by nervousness apparently makes me a blubbering idiot.

"I— I was w-wondering…have you seen this, um, girl?"

The motherly mermaid looked amused. "I see a lot of girls. You might mean myself?" she winked.

I shook my head and gulped; trying to shake off my random nervousness. "No, ma'am, I mean, there this girl I'm looking for. Tall, blonde, tan? She's not…she's not a mermaid, I mean." I prayed I hadn't offended her.

The woman just smiled and pinched my cheeks. "You're very adorable, looking for your friend and calling me ma'am. What's your name?"

"Percy Jackson, ma'am," I said, taken a little aback by her pinching-of-my-cheeks.

The woman's face lit up. "Oh! My, my! Are you who I think you are, then?"

I grinned sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am. Son of Poseidon."

She looked delighted. "Well, Percy, I have good news for you! I know exactly where your girl is."

The hope in my heart sputtered and went insane with happiness. I couldn't hide the smile that blossomed onto my face.

"You do?" I was one step away from jumping up and down like an over-excited puppy.

She nodded and ushered me inside. I stepped into the modest cabin and saw that it was neat and tidy, with a few nick nacks here and there. But what stood out to me was the center table.

Because, sitting there, on a chair, sipping what looked like a cup of _coffee_ (where would these people even get coffee beans?), was Annabeth.

I just stared at her for a moment. She looked sad; incredibly so. I felt happiness at finding her…then, I didn't.

Then, I felt angry.

Annabeth finally looked around and did a double take when she saw me there. I was shaking, I was so angry.

I finally spoke, my voice scary calm and a little shaky.

"I'm going to fucking kill you."

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

Stella, my host here at this cute underwater farm, was really nice. She was an older mermaid, but just as beautiful as the others. And she had this motherly air about her that made me want to hug her forever.

And, Hades, she made me _coffee_.

I hadn't had coffee in ages.

Things had been great. She told me I should spend the night here; that her and her husband and one kid were always welcoming guests; especially guests as pretty as me (her words, not mine).

Yes, things had been very good…

…until Percy showed up.

He looked insane with fury when he had stood there by the door way and said, "I'm going to fucking kill you."

Stella had _tsk_ed him and warned: "Language."

Percy looked like he hadn't even heard her. He was just staring at me.

At first, I felt surprised. My jaw dropped and I didn't believe it for a second. _He followed me out here?_

Then, more surprise; at his words.

"Uhh," I stuttered, "W-why would that be?"

Percy's eyes got darker, if possible. "Do you have any idea," he began scarily, "what could have happened to you?"

Stella, I noticed, slipped out of the room, murmuring something about giving us a moment.

My eyebrows were sky-high now. I felt the anger, from him going off with his stupid girly fish and completely ignoring me, surge again.

"Why do you care?" I snarled. "You were off getting laid, weren't you? Tell me, when _did_ you notice my absence?"

Percy just got angrier. It was a shocking sight. I had never seen Percy _angry_. Irritated, uncaring, disgusted; yes. But angry?

Never.

It was surprisingly…hot. Sexy, even. The way his eyes flashed, the stiff setting of his mouth and the way I could see every formidable muscle in his arms and chest from his clenching and unclenching of his fists. Even his hair seemed to stand in every direction; messier than usually.

"We're _friends_, gods damn it!" he roared, moving closer to me. "We're partners on this fucking journey! You can't just _leave_ like that. _Especially_ when you're forty-fucking-thousands feet into the ocean."

My jaw set. The room had suddenly got a lot hotter.

I yelled right back into his face, moving closer, too. "Really? Well, _Percy_, wasn't it you who was so insistent that we _just get this over with_? Wasn't it you who wanted this to end so we could go back to that fucking shitty school that you love so much?"

We were in each other's face now, barely an inch between our noses, both of us breathing heavily.

I continued, fuming. "And, you know what? I—"

I was interrupted.

Because Percy had chosen that moment to kiss me.

* * *

**CLIFFY!**

**Yayzers! I do love hate-love relationship and this is most definitely one of those. So, reviews = finding out how the kiss turns out! Does she slap him? Does she kiss him back? Does she run away? And what's going on in Percy's head?**

**Find it all out in the next chapter. And you know what will make that come faster?**

**Reviews.**

**So, review? Pretty please?**

**Anyway. Much love to you lovely reader.**

**- S.**


	16. BrainMush & BodyMesh

_Disclaimer:_ _You know I don't own it. I know I don't. Why must we rub it in?_

* * *

**Hello, my loves.**

**It's been a bit of while and I've been working on this chapter; trying to make it perfect. I kinda suck at lemony, shmexy stuff…so, yeah. Forgive me if this sucks.**

**Hopefully, you'll enjoy it. X_X**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixteen: Brain-Mush & Body-Mesh**_

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

Honestly, don't ask me why I did it because I don't know.

One minute, I wanted to rip Annabeth's head right off the hinges of her neck and then, the next, I was yanked forward by some mysterious force and had pushed my lips to hers.

At first, we were both still. Shocked.

Until I felt it.

The white-hot, burning fucking _fantastic_ current of electricity, of heat...of whatever it was.

And, when it hit me, it was like the zap went straight to my brain and cut all circuits. I wasn't operating with the gray material the gods gave me no more. I was using my body. My body…and my heart.

Annabeth was still unresponsive but I sure as hell wasn't. My body was dancing an age old dance, wanting more and more.

My kissing had started as just holding myself there. Still. Lips slightly open, hot breath all over my lips. Goosebumps exploded all over my skin and, _so slowly_, I started moving my lips.

And, that was when all Hades broke loose.

It was her taste that did it to me. She tasted like saltwater and a sinful twist of chocolate and strawberries. I couldn't help but groan.

Her breathing, my breathing, I couldn't tell who's was who's. I suddenly felt her hands reach up and grip my hair and my tongue somehow was now in her mouth.

Annabeth, now an active participant in…well, whatever this was, was now on her tip-toes to reach me. Her lips hungrily sucked on my bottom lip, but I could tell she had to hold back because of our stupid fucking height difference. Irritated by this, I finally reached out with my hands and grabbed her waist, lifting her up and on to the table.

Then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, Annabeth's legs wrapped around me, meshing out bodies together like they were one. A release of shuddering breath came from Annabeth onto my lips. I kept my hands glued to her hips, holding her tightly to me; relishing in the feel of her chest against my own, of her warm body entangled in mine—

Until it stopped.

Annabeth, unlike me, seemed to snap out of her endorphin-reduced phase and pushed me away and out of her embrace. The air, that was previously perfectly okay, now felt cold and lonely. I wanted to be wrapped up in Annabeth— I needed to be.

We stared at each other for a moment. Annabeth from sitting on the table, her face alight with a beautiful flush, her hair a sexy mess. Me, where I was standing a few feet away from her.

And, when she could finally do things like move and think?

She got up and off the table and sucker-punched me.

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

Percy was kissing me.

With tongue.

And lips.

And his body.

_Shell-shocked._

I was shell-shocked beyond all thought at first. Seriously. One minute, I'm ready to tear him a new one, but the gentle press of his soft lips makes my mind blank?

_So, totally unfair._

I couldn't control myself, though, when his lips start moving against mine. I was shaking, barely but I was. I was out of myself, out of my own skin, and it felt _amazing_.

Heat. Hot, brilliant heat. All over my body; tingling deep inside of me, reaching my toes.

That's why I kissed him back. Because of the heat. The delicious heat, that I didn't know of until now. The heat that I didn't understand. Was this what it was like to be turned-on? I didn't think so. It was more. It was feral and uncontrollable…_need_.

I was on the table, legs tightly wound around Percy's waist, mouth glued to his.

I didn't even know how the hell this happened.

I wasn't ready for this.

_I mean, for god's sake, Percy and I _hated_ each other._

But it felt_ so good_.

But, I snapped out of it. This lost, crazed, endorphin-induced stupor. I managed to.

But when I pushed Percy away, it was like a little bit of my heart broke off and went with him.

We stared.

And then I felt anger. Anger at him. _How dare he?_ I wasn't one of his hussies. He had no right.

But, _gods_, he was so gentle and sweet and _he came after me_ and…he protectiveness made me feel like mush.

Confused still, but fueled by my anger, I jumped off the table and punched Percy in the gut.

_He deserves it for trying to make me feel good. Trying to kiss me. Gods. I'm insane. I've gone insane. Percy's kiss made my brain stupid. Lost. Gone. Ta-ta. See ya._

I was making no sense.

"That," I said through gritted teeth, "was for kissing me without my permission."

Percy blinked at me with wide, confused eyes.

I confused myself, too. Because, then, I reached out, cupped his jaw gently, and pulled Percy in for the sweetest, gentlest kiss in the world.

Moments, hours, days, years passed. I honestly didn't care. I pulled away slowly, eyes still closed, even if I could feel Percy's on my face. I didn't let go of him as I breathed:

"And that's for coming after me."

That's when I pulled away fully. Pulled away and walked around Percy, slipping out of the room. I couldn't be in the same room as him right now. My mind would die, shriveled and pathetic. I needed to think. I needed to breathe.

So, I slipped away, out of the house and began walking.

It was time for a reality check.

* * *

**That's all for today, kiddos. But I will be back with more! **

**But, man, I can't tell you how hard writing this chapter was. Did I do okay? This is a very important point in the story.**

_VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE:_ I need a beta, people. Please. Somebody, help me out? I need opinionated, insane, grammatical people. Please, please, please, somebody help me out here. Oh, and someone who'll be easy to access and who's not gonna take 50 billion years to reply. I'm patient, but I don't want a slow-poke, please.

**Anywho. Review if you can. **

**Thank you so much for reading.**

**- S.**


	17. Monster Massacres & Mental Mayhem

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series, nor do I own any of its characters. I only own the plot and the dialogue._

* * *

**Hey, all!**

**Here it is: the next chapter! And, might I say, it's very…action-packed. ;)**

**Hope you like!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventeen: Monster Massacres & Mental Mayhem**_

* * *

Annabeth's POV:

* * *

Pressure.

I'm constantly feeling it.

Pressure from school, pressure from friends, pressure from fear of someone finding out that I was beautiful.

For gods' sake, I was even starting to feel the pressure of being so deep underwater.

I thought about this as I walked through the fields of pretty seaweed. It was obvious that this wasn't just the run-of-the-mill, normal green gunk that was littered all over (under?) the sea. It was neat and tall and was a shimmery olive green that looked surprisingly tasty. Like…crunchy. I wondered its taste would be like.

_Percy just _kissed _you and you're thinking about what _seaweed _tastes like? What happened to_ Smart_Annabeth?_

If it was anyone else they would've probably been thinking along the lines of '_oh, my life sucks and I wish I was dead_' or '_I'm going to fight, all determind-like, and do some dumb-ass move and get myself killed_' or, my personal favorite, _'well, isn't this all fine and dandy! Perseus, cute boy he, kissed me! Golly_!'

But I wasn't emo, nor was I an idiot and do I _look _like some Southern bimbo to you?

No. I didn't think so either.

So, there I was. Strolling along, wondering what seaweed tasted like.

_God, I'm really freaking messed up in the head._

But, in my heart, I knew it was time to put my thinking cap on and start seriously looking at my life.

_Okay, Annie, let's take a look?_

What did I see?

I saw Percy, first. Stupid, messy jet-black hair that hadn't been its normal curly-ish texture lately, because of our underwater residency. And his eyes. Stupid, freaking green eyes.

They always made me feel something. Not good. But not bad. Just something.

_Gods, I sound insane, even to myself_.

Okay, so Percy was a big part of my life lately. What else was there?

Gods.

_Meddling, brainless, sadistic, little—_

My thoughts were cut off by me being knocked over by a sudden, strong tide. I grumbled as I stood back up.

_That was intentional_. Sensitive, huh? Poseidon couldn't even take rejection, let alone criticism, gracefully.

Another current, stronger this time, hit me square in the back.

_Okay, so, gods are selfish beings that make their offspring go beg for _their _forgiveness?_

I had already come to terms with that.

Except…now, I couldn't go to Aphrodite for forgiveness. Not after she decided she no longer wanted begging or sorry-ness. She wanted blood.

_An eye for an eye_._Or, in my very special case, a child for a child._

Leave it to the gods to be extreme like that.

As I wandered farther away from Stella's home, I couldn't help but think: what was next? Where would Percy and I go from here?

_Percy and I._

Of course, that struck up a whole new thought-box. A box containing a toe-curling, _painfully _hot kiss.

Why? I wondered. I wondered a lot. What would make Percy _kiss _me? I mean, I got that I was all heaven-sent, seriously, beyond-belief, angel-like beautiful now. I wasn't bragging; it was fact. Aphrodite had made me that way. She had _cursed _me that way.

But was that all it took? Some boobs and clear skin, for Percy to like me?

Wait.

Did I_,_ Annabeth Chase, like Percy Jackson?

Initial response: _um, how about _HADES _no?_

But, then I really thought about it.

_Okay._

Shit.

I think I was attracted to Percy.

I mean…it made sense, logically speaking. Percy was…good-looking. There was no denying it; even _he _knew it.

But I always thought that I wasn't the kind of girl who would _just _fall for looks.

I consider this, too. Maybe I wasn't that kind of girl. I thought about Percy talking to me. Percy following me out of Atlantis. Percy telling me my eyes were pretty when I was still acting ugly, forgoing that he sounded kinda creepy and pedophile-like.

Maybe Percy had more to him than I thought.

The cynical part of me sneered at even the thought. _You can't be serious! _It thought. _He's a man-whore. A jackass. He's been an ass to you since you moved to that stupid school._

But…a more hopeful (and unintelligent) part of me thought that I was right. _Percy might be a good guy_.

Gods, this was making my head hurt.

So, I sat down on the wet sandy floor of the ocean. I gathered up all my courage and…I opened up the kiss-in-the-box at the back of my head.

_My reaction to this determines it. It will tell me: am I attracted to Perseus Freaking Jackson or not?_

So, for the first time since it happened, I thought about that kiss.

I thought about Percy's lips. So warm and moist, even in the wet coldness of the water. I thought about his closeness…and remembered needing more of it. Even thinking of it now…I ached for it. And I thought about his face when he did it.

I couldn't bring myself to admit what I saw there.

But, I could admit this: _I am one hundred and fifty percent sure now._

I was definitely attracted to Percy.

_Why did that scare me?_

Frustrated, I huffed, stomping up. I was bigger than this. Walking around, _mulling_. About a _boy_, no less! What happened to strong, justice-believing, action-taking Annabeth? The no-bullshit, no-mitigating-the-truth-because-you're-too-much-of-a-pansy Annabeth?

This stupid trip was trying to change me. It was trying to turn me into one of those stupid girls who thinks too much and does too little.

I would _not _become that.

No way in Hades.

Never.

Imagine my luck, when I turned around to go back to the cabin to tell Percy to shove that kiss right back up his ass, I was faced with something that "strong, justice-believing, action-taking, no-bullshit" Annabeth would have liked very much.

Out there, in the middle of the seaweed field, was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen.

Seriously. This thing needed a makeover; ASAP.

It was huge, bulking, and shaped like a worm (or really fat sea snake). Black, in color, but with bulging, snot-colored eyes and tiny red horns all over its body. Not to mention the oozing, angry red bumps all over its face; reeking of pus and rotten flesh. And it had a _huge _mouth, too; took up nearly half of its upper body. The mouth was complete with exactly seven pointy teeth that were lathered in green snot-like saliva.

And, then, it roared at me_, _it's breath fanning over my face.

Forget teeth— this thing just had to breathe at you and _SMACK_. You're on the floor; dead and long, long gone.

My eyes still stinging and my throat still gagging, I reached down to my ankle, pulling out the blade I had tied there. I wasn't as stupid as Percy had thought: I had thought to have some kind of weapon with me.

But, looking down at the dagger, I didn't feel very consoled. I didn't really know how to fight and the whole being-underwater thing wasn't going to aid my chances.

_Okay, Annabeth, it's just a monster. A fat, ugly monster._

The thing started snarling and snapping at me, moving towards me in fast, jerky movements. I fought back a shiver; it was like watching a spider crawl.

When it finally tried to take a snap at me, my brain just switched off. It was like some gene inside of me turned on and _ta-da_. I was on auto-pilot and, as I followed my own movements, I was stabbing the ugly creature in its eyes.

The creature let out a deafening cry that I bet everyone within a 500 mile radius heard.

_Speaking of people, where was _my _person? Wasn't this the part where I 'accidently' dropped my dagger and Percy comes and saves me just before the monster eats me up?_

Oh, naïve world. _As if_.

I was the only one doing the saving here.

Lunging for the demon spawn again, I managed to slide past it and stabbed it again; right in the back. Another ear-drum-shatteringly loud cry. The monster twisted and its teeth grazed my wrist. I clenched my teeth, because, _holy Hera_, that shit _hurt_. The snot-saliva covering its teeth was obviously toxic.

I scampered backwards, the monster moving with me. I was on red-alert now. Obviously, this wasn't going to be easy. _That's fine_, I growled internally, _I like a challenge_.

And like it I did, because I was on fire.

Apparently, whatever it is that turned on within me, released a serious rage within me that made me:

a) Insane.

b) Pretty good at handling a dagger.

But I didn't have time for thinking or realizing. My brain was as numb as my body was hot. I was burning up on this rage.

Letting out a cry that sounded kind of scary, even to me, I launched myself at the monster: stabbing, kicking and _attacking _with everything I had in me.

It was a frenzy. A frenzy of anger, of hate and of release. I needed this release: for all the anger and resentment and confusion I had been feeling.

And I was letting it all loose on this godforsaken creature. I almost felt bad for it.

But, I couldn't stop. My body was just going and going and going until…there was silence.

I finally regained my senses.

I looked around.

The creature lay, in pieces, at my feet.

My clothes were in tatters.

My hair, released from its tight ponytail in my rage, and my skin was splatter in the green toxin and red blood of the ugly crap-creature.

I let out a long exhale.

It was official.

I was a totally, utterly, batshit crazy.

The only thing that made me more so was watching the creature rise up once more, eyes aflame.

* * *

Percy's POV:

* * *

Annabeth had left a while ago.

Could be hours. I wasn't sure. My sense of time was hazy since coming into the sea.

And, for that whole length of undetermined time, I saw there, in Stella's dining room, on the chair, staring at the spot where I had assaulted Annabeth.

I felt bad because it was so good. I felt bad for basically mauling her, metaphorically, with my kisses. I was the bear, she was whatever it was that had angered me. I had gone crazy on her; out of control.

But then, she _kissed me back_.

A question kept repeating in my head, like I was some broken record; _why did she kiss me back_?

Like I knew. She was Annabeth. Not even the gods know why she does the shit she does.

I sighed and my elbows resting on my thighs. I let my head hang. I was so…confused. So frustrated.

I just wanted to get back to my life. Get back to school. I wouldn't have to feel like this, especially my feelings for Annabeth, and I could go back to being a jackass.

I could. Maybe I would. But…why didn't I _want _to? Before, when I had said I wanted to go back to school…there wasn't anything less true. There wasn't even a _single_ _cell _in me that wanted to leave Annabeth. And that scared the crap out of me.

_Gods. This was a mess._

Stella poked her head out of the kitchen. She looked disappointed when she noticed Annabeth's absence.

"Where'd Annie go?" she asked, sweetly concerned.

I snorted. If I ever even _thought _about calling Annabeth 'Annie', she'd castrate me.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes tired. I wished Annabeth would come back now. I hated being away from here for a long time. It felt…unnatural.

"I don't know."

Stella stepped out of her kitchen, brows furrowed and lips pressed together. She gently asked, "What happened?"

I didn't know why but I found myself telling her.

"I kissed Annabeth." Stella's eyebrows rose and a small smile played on her lips. I rolled my eyes. She didn't even understand yet. "She punched me."

Stella's expression was priceless.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, all mother-hen-like.

I shook my head. "She kissed me again after that."

Stella's eyebrows rose again. "Maybe you should explain properly, sugar." She swam over, slipping into the seat across from me.

And…I talked to her. She reminded me a lot of my own Mom, Sally Jackson. I didn't get to talk to Mom a lot lately, with school and all and I found myself missing her a lot.

"So, basically," Stella finally said, after hearing my story, "You like her?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. _Adults_. Things were never that simple.

"No, I don't _like her_," I said. "I hate her! I hated her, at least…I mean…" I lost myself again, in that sea of emotion. "Gods, I don't know."

Stella grinned and giggled. "It's all very cute, you know."

I groaned, letting my head hit the table. _I'm losing serious man-mojo points here._

Stella reached out and gently touched the back of my head. "Baby boy," she murmured, "You're being too…picky with your thoughts. You can't pin this down so easily. But why do you hate her? Love her instead. She's beautiful and she's got fire."

I smiled to myself at the understatement. Annabeth was fire reincarnated. She made the devil look like Frosty the Snowman.

I lifted my head and looked into Stella's beautiful olive eyes. She looked like she was in her late 40s, but she was still ethereal; just like every other mermaid.

"Yeah," I finally admitted. "Yeah, I don't hate her."

_It was a start_.

"Now," Stella clapped her hands together, "Let's get you and Annabeth something to—"

She was cut off.

A deathly cry, a sound from the very depths of Hades, rang out in the otherwise silent sea.

Stella's eyes widened in fear. Her eyes met mine.

The only thought in my head: _Annabeth_.

She was out there. She was alone. Gods, how had I let this happen _again_?

I was out like a gunshot.

Luckily, Stella understood and she followed me.

We swam, at top speed, in the rough direction of where the cry had come from.

Another scream pierced the air. It was deathly. Inhumane. _Horrible_.

I pushed myself to go faster.

We were almost a mile out when I heard a different kind of cry; a battle cry.

And it sounded exactly like Annabeth.

Faster now. I was going faster. Stella couldn't keep up. I don't think I've ever pushed myself this hard. My heart was literally _in my throat _and all I could think was that, _oh gods, please _let Annabeth be alive.

_Please._

I finally reached her, close to two miles out. But nothing could prepare me for what I saw.

In front of me, Annabeth was _fighting._

She was sparring.

_Killing_.

The monster didn't stand a snowflake's chance in Hades' pit of fire.

She was a beautiful kind of monster; hair wild, eyes burning with rage and body poised and lethal like a jungle cat.

And this was underwater.

I just gaped at her as she turned the monster— which was uglier than Hades, Hephaestus and the old Annabeth combined— to Swiss cheese.

And then she stood there, still. Her dagger clenched tightly in her right hand, her hair matted, her skin splattered in blood and her clothes torn and barely there.

She was…magnificent.

* * *

**Well, kids, that's all for today.**

**I'd like to thank my new beta, Revalence, for all his help and support! First chapter and he's already awesome. I don't know if I can keep up. ;-P**

**Anywho. Thanks to all of you who asked to be my beta anyway; its so nice that so many of you are open to the idea. If you would like, I have a Twilight story I'm writing that I also need a Beta for! PM or review if you're interested. **

**That's all for now. R&R if you may! I might even tell you the monster's name…its from actual Greek mythology (thanks to Revalence, 'cauz honestly I don't have the skillz to find any cool monsters via scholarly research X_X).**

**Love,**

**- S.**


	18. Author's Note

Okay, so I haven't uploaded in 8 months.

I get that this may suck for some of you and I'm really sorry, but to put it frankly, I've been going through some shit and need time. I'm sorry. The story is definately not done; just postponed. I'll try for soon, for you guys, but patience is the best of virtues.

Please. If you want crap stupid writing, I'll give it to you, but I highly doubt you'll enjoy it.

- S.


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